


Case Closed

by OfFireAndMars



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe- True Crime, BaekYeol - Freeform, ChanBaek - Freeform, Happy Ending, M/M, Minor Character Deaths, Panic Attacks, Romance, Smut, Swearing, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 15:08:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16266719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfFireAndMars/pseuds/OfFireAndMars
Summary: When Baekhyun's parents are brutally murdered and the police fail to bring justice, Baekhyun realizes it's up to him to find the answers. But when his journey crosses paths with a mysterious Chanyeol, his plans get derailed and he finds himself in a spiraling mess of conspiracy and murder.





	Case Closed

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this little journey. I wanted to instill a little bit of hope with this story because it can get pretty dark sometimes. I do truly believe that we have the power to do the impossible. We can brave loneliness and learn to live with mental disorders. We can forgive and forge a new life for ourselves. I hope you find that message in this story. ❤ ❤ ❤

It seems fitting that the down-pouring rain soaks the earth this night, leaving everything in a poor, drenched state. The clash of thunder and the hot flashes of lightning only make the three masked men more menacing, as if their intentions are not horrific enough. Rounding up their three victims whom they captured from their bedrooms, jeopardizing a night of blissful sleep, they lock the doors and command them to sit. The cold from the tiles seep through their bodies like a poison and the beating of the rain outside send their sanity into a tailspin. The three terrorists make a quick job of tying up the shivering figures before them with a gun held threateningly to a child’s head. This act alone could make even the most ruthless of men cower down to his knees. And a child’s whimpers could break any mother’s heart. 

The masked men interrogate the father, demanding answers of which the little boy cannot understand, not that he’s listening to them anyway. Instead, he’s listening to his mother’s heavy, ragged breathing and his father’s pleas but the words don’t resonate in his brain. He’s an educated twelve year old boy but in this moment, any concept of language escapes him and all he can hear are incoherent sounds leaving his father’s lips in intervals of shouts and screams, mingling with the sharp sounds of rain splattering haphazardly outside. 

There is a dangerous sort of anger in the room; an anger which could wreak havoc and cause one catastrophe after the next. The child feels this in the air, like some toxic vapor worming its way into his mind and he finds himself cowering, closing in on himself like a book. If only he could disappear. If only he could snap his fingers, call on the magic he has watched in all those children’s films, and take himself and his family away to safety. If only he could call on a masked avenger to save them from this nightmare. If only. But those things are not real, he realizes with despair.  
The bonds around his wrists are digging into his skin, rubbing them raw and bloody. Every time he inches forward towards his father, it feels like fire licking at his skin, at the raw open flesh. The gag in his mouth makes him feel claustrophobic; he can breathe but the intrusion leaves him feeling trapped; his jaw aching. His ankles are bound too, but he can no longer feel his legs, blood circulation coming to a halt. His mother is right beside him when the men drag his father across the room and start laying punches and kicks across his face and torso. His little eyes are stinging from the tears and his head hurts as he tries to make heads or tails of the situation. But he cannot.

Why us? He wonders. What did we ever do to you? But of course, there are no answers to his questions; he cannot even voice them out loud let alone receive a reply. 

He turns his head when he can no longer recognize his father’s face as he lays swollen and bloody on the floor. But when he gazes down as he feels something warm trail across his chest, he almost lets out an ungodly shriek. His father’s blood splatters across his pajama shirt, the dark red slick leaving behind a hideous stain, making the boy feel filthy and sickened. 

And when his mother is dragged away from his side, he immediately feels the cold of her absence. He moans out in objection but no one listens, no one hears. The three men circle round her and the little boy’s desperate eyes look to his father for help but the man is out cold. The child doesn’t know then that his father will never wake again. 

It happens too quickly. There are questions again but they sound like mumbles to the boy’s cotton-stuffed ears. And then a flicker of light, a spark, as the moonlight captures a murderous tool; a gun! An ear piercing blast leaves the boy nauseated and near deaf but he still hears the sound of his mother’s body dropping like a dead weight onto the floor. 

The boy cries and crawls over to her but it is all in vain. No gods listen to his desperate howls as one of the masked him cut his bonds and remove the gag from this mouth. The boy doesn’t move even though he is now free. 

And when silence and calm settle around the room, the rain outside having done its ruin and passed by, there is yet another storm, one brewing in the little heart of the child left behind. Three men murdered his parents tonight but he’ll find his answers. He’ll seek his revenge. His parents’ death will not be for nothing. He’ll do whatever it takes even if he has to crawl out of hell itself and walk to the edge of the earth. 

 

///

 

Baekhyun wakes up gasping for air, his chest rising and falling in a panic and drops of sweat pooling on the bed sheets. The magnificent crack of thunder has him doubling over and spilling out last night’s dinner, soiling his cotton sheets with a gut-wrenching stench of icky yellow muck. He is in a frantic state, his limbs flailing about uselessly like a puppet caught in a mess of strings trying to break loose.

Because the sound is too familiar. 

Once he calms down and his bed is all cleaned up, he grabs his headphones, turns the volume up and allows the gruff, deep baritone of Tom Waits to filter through his ears and cloud his mind, easing all thought. He feels good when he’s not thinking. He feels good when he can’t feel anything. Ever so softly, he begins humming out loud without a care of who or what might hear his tone deaf murmurs. Not that there is anybody around. Alone in his apartment, alone in his life, Baekhyun wears the mark of a nobody. If he dies, not a single soul would care. 

But this is not what awakened his rather restless slumber. It is rather the sound of a piercing and sudden clap of thunder caused by the merciless storm rumbling just outside. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, is what his psychologist had called it. He has a different name for it though. 

Hell. 

He saw the gates of hell when three masked men grabbed him and and his parents, ushered them outside their bedrooms and tied them up. He saw the flames of hell spark and ignite when his father was literally beaten to death before his innocent child eyes, the man’s blood spraying across the floor and walls and even leaving a bloody scar across Baekhyun’s own tiny twelve year old chest. And he heard the laughter of the devil when a gunshot echoed through the room, leaving an incessant ringing in his ears and a heavy thud of his mother’s limp body slumping to the floor. 

He had seen hell. He had lived it. Post-trauma? Fuck, that was child’s play. But one thing he can’t deny are the triggering episodes whenever he hears anything resembling that fatal gunshot. And that’s what the thunder sounded like as he lay in sleep, in a time when the mind knows not whether up is down or down is up; when nightmares become more real than his own skin and logic is thrown out the window. In the state of confusion one experiences when the body wakes but the mind is still wrapped in the branches of dreams, is what Baekhyun finds himself awaking to in a panic.

This happens more times than he’d like to admit. His panic attacks will hit him like ice cold water. It will numb his senses and send his fight or flight response into overdrive. His psychologist however, need not know that this is becoming a daily occurrence; a sort of masochistic habit. Because the truth is, Baekhyun doesn’t know who he is without his panic attacks. In a way, they are his only lifeline to his parents whom he is slowly forgetting. He can’t remember their faces or their voices very well but the panic attacks never fail to jerk his memory back to that night, like a sort of shock treatment. Who would he be if he forgot everything?

6 a.m. The obnoxious BEEP BEEP BEEP from his alarm blares uselessly as Baekhyun is already up and about and has been for some time now. He smashes his hand over the digital clock flashing hysterically and silences the noise, sighing in relief at the quiet.

He makes a quick messy job of tidying his apartment, then heads straight for his phone and dials a number he really shouldn’t know so well. 

“Hello, County Sheriff’s Office”. A tired and dull voice greets.  
“Hi, My name is Byun Baekhyun. Is Sheriff Kim available?” He asks but faint static is the only thing he can hear as a reply. And then a sigh of irritation, it seems. “Mister Byun, there has been no new information we can give you. The case has been closed. There’s nothing more we can do.”  
Baekhyun can feel his hand tightening around the phone and the sudden urge to break down walls and tear everything apart is difficult to maintain as he listens to the poor excuse of a police officer talk back to him. But he has to remain calm. Cracking up now will only make things more difficult for him.  
“Please, let me just speak to the Sheriff. Just two minutes is all I ask.” Bordering on desperation, he fights to hold back tears and keep his voice steady.  
There is no response for a few seconds and then the voice of the Sheriff, filled with bitterness and irritation, finally speaks. “Mister Byun,” the boredom is evident in his voice, as if this whole fiasco is a theatrical play roped together to mock and bring shame to Baekhyun himself. “What can I do for you this morning...again...just like yesterday morning and the morning before that?” 

Now, he’s definitely mocking me, Baekhyun thinks. “Morning, Sir. Yes, I know I call a lot. It’s just that I need to know if anyone is working on my parents’ case, yet? You said you’ll look into reopening-”  
“Baekhyun, I said if-IF-” he emphasizes, his voice raising alarmingly, “new evidence comes up we’ll reopen, and nothing has come up. NOTHING! I can’t just reopen the case because you have a streak of vengeance. We have protocols to follow and NO ONE is an exception, not even you!”  
“But are even looking? How can new evidence come up if no one is looking for it? You were my father’s friend; how could you just sit idly by as if nothing’s happened!” Baekhyun’s voice is becoming shrill with panic and he can feel his chest constricting in that all knowing tightness of anxiety. He places his fingers on his temples and starts massaging in an attempt to calm down.  
“Baekhyun,” the Sheriff is calm and speaks slowly. “We already caught your parents’ killer. He’s serving life in prison. What more do you want?”  
Baekhyun has to fight back a laugh of madness. What more does he want?! He wants the police to do their fucking job! He wants justice to be served. But what he instead says is; “Sir, there were three men that night. Three! And you’ve only caught one!” 

Breathe, Baekhyun, he has to remind himself. 

In. One-two-three. Out. One-two-three. 

He tries to maintain control of his breathing, hoping the deep breaths would ease the pain in his chest and stop his damn heart from beating so fast. We’re not playing Need for Speed here, he thinks. But the hurricane in his chest is difficult to control, and the constriction of his airways makes him feel lightheaded and weak. He somberly thinks that this is not going to end well. 

“There was only one man that night,” the Sheriff is saying in a monotonous tone as if this is something he has rehearsed and repeated countless times. “We saw the security footage. One man came in, drugged your parents, tied them up and proceeded to murder them. I thought your psychologist has been over this with you.” It’s the same excuse he’s been hearing for nine years straight and he’s just about had enough. He feels the strings of his sanity snap, a violent collapse of control and logic.  
“NO!” He roars, spit escaping from his mouth and his eyes bulging in anger. “There were three! I saw them with my own eyes! Someone tampered with the security footage, I’m telling ya! And how dare you bring my psychologist into this? What are you trying to say? That I’m CRAZY?!” He bellows and throws his tantrum, bounding over to anything caught lying on the floor and kicking it like mad. He knows what the cops think of him, that he’s some sort of lunatic. One cop even muttered that Baekhyun should be locked up in the psych ward. 

“No, Baekhyun, that’s not what I’m saying. And no one tampered with the security footage-”  
“How do you know?!” Baekhyun interrupts. “If you useless sons of bitches actually did your mother fucking jobs you’d know that there’s no way that tape could be real.”  
Does he feel bad for mouthing off at the cops like that? No, not when they are sitting around on their lazy asses all day, sipping on coffee and fattening up on donuts. If they actually put some effort in their jobs, Baekhyun believes they’d actually achieve something. He’s furious but more than that, he feels defeated. Why won’t anyone believe him?  
“Baekhyun, I’m not going to argue with you. The case is closed! End of story.” 

The line goes dead and all Baekhyun can hear is his heavy breathing in the solitude of his home. The cops must really think he’s some sort of nutter. And maybe he is. But he’s feeling helpless and no one is easing his troubled mind.  
“Well, fuck them. I guess I’ll just do this myself.” With his newfound resolve, he heads to his closet, pulls out a duffel bag and starts shoving clothes inside. 

If the cops won’t bring justice, he will. And he won’t stop until three guilty parties are rotting behind bars. 

 

///

 

“Jongdae, please! I’m begging ya.” Baekhyun’s whines echo through the phone and Jongdae can’t help but scrunch up his nose in annoyance. Friends be damned, there’s no way he’s putting his career on the line for this.  
“Baek, I told you a million times. I don’t have the clearance to search the evidence folder. I’m just a meager lieutenant. And besides, even if I could get my hands on it, I wouldn’t risk it. The sheriff has his eyes on me, Baek; his hair-raising, bloodcurdling oversized brown eyes. Right. On. Me.” He punctuates each word as he tries to argue with his friend, convincing him, but no matter what he says he knows it falls on deaf ears anyway.  
Baekhyun sighs on the other end of the line. “Jongdae, you’re the only one who I can ask. I have no one else. I know we’re not that close and there’s nothing you’d be getting out of this, but just think if you were in my shoes, what would you do, huh?” 

Jongdae doesn’t need to think what it would be like to be in Baekhyun’s shoes; he knows already. What he never tells Baekhyun, and probably never will, is that he knows all too well what it’s like to have his family murdered. He knows all too well what that feeling of injustice, buried deep inside, imprisoning his heart, feels like. Though his mother’s killers have long been arrested and sentenced, he still feels as if it’s not enough. This is the reason why law enforcement became his goal in life, to hunt down criminals and bring them under the law, their judge. 

“I’d do anything for you. Literally anything!” He hears Baekhyun’s pleas and can’t help but think that there is one thing he wants from the man. The only reason why he keeps in touch with Baekhyun is because he thinks the guy is a fine piece of ass and yes, he would definitely like to tap that. But he also thinks it’s too douchey to request that his friend sleep with him in order to get his help. 

Sigh, what to do, what to do? Maybe just a kiss? Then he thinks of an idea that’s sure to get what he wants without feeling too much of an asshole about it, at least that’s what he tells himself.  
“Fine. Grab a drink with me, that’s all I ask.” He sneers as he thinks of how much of a lightweight Baekhyun is. The man on the other end remains oblivious to Jongdae’s change in tone.  
“Really? That’s it? Okay, then. Tell me when and where and I’ll be there!”

 

“Yo, Jongdae! Me and some of the locals are gonna head up to old man Kwon’s cabin later tonight. He’s caught something like a thirteen foot anaconda and we’re gonna go and check it out.” Lieutenant Zhang talks as he leans against Jongdae’s desk with a toothpick twirling between his lips.  
“An anaconda?” Jongdae asks skeptically. “There ain’t anaconda living round here. That’s madness.” He says unbelievably and looks back at the mountains of paperwork piling on the edge of his desk, threatening to fall and spill over the floor. Sometimes Jongdae wishes this would happen. He would even go as far as to nudge his elbow against the towering stack, give it a little encouragement to topple over. Because sometimes Kim Jongdae needs a little chaos in his life.  
“Well, that’s the latest on the rumour mill, though I think it’s a bunch of poppycock. Still, I wanna see what the fuss is about. You’re in?”  
Jongdae sighs as he grabs another folder, one of hundreds, opens it and starts scanning through the forms. “Nah, thanks but I think I’ll pass. Besides, I got a date later.” He smirks as he thinks of the pretty Byun boy who he might get to shag tonight after a couple of drinks.  
Lieutenant Zhang whistles. “You sure are busy. Didn’t you hook up with that chick Lara last night?” He asks as his eyes grow wide in admiration for Jongdae’s impressive hook-up streak.  
“Dara, not Lara. And yeah but tonight is someone special.” He singsongs as he rushes through the folder, shuts it then reaches out for another.  
“Damn, who is it?”  
At this Jongdae pauses. Baekhyun has a reputation in the department. There’s not a single officer who doesn’t think Byun has a screw or two loose. What if people find out Jongdae is hooking up with him? Would they think he’s just as loony?  
So he decides to go with; “Oh, no one you know. Someone visiting from outta town.”  
Lieutenant Zhang simply nods his head and when he hears his name being called from across the room, he raises his hand in salute and bids Jongdae a goodbye before rushing off.

“Two down and a gazillion more to go.” Jongdae mutters as he shuts the second folder and reaches for another, and then another, and then another. The never ending paperwork always gets on his nerves but at least he’s got something to look forward to later. He snickers at the thought. 

 

 

A wolf whistle escapes Jongdae’s mouth as he trails his eyes up and down the attractive figure before him. Baekhyun is stunning through and through; his iridescent skin sparkling miniature flecks of color as the light catches on the shimmer he placed on his cheeks. His pale porcelain features are heavily contrasted with the harsh smokey black rimming his eyes, making heads spin at the feral beauty he has transformed into. I better be careful, Jongdae thinks. Others might try snatch him from me tonight. When Baekhyun greets him, his eyes crinkle in an angelic smile and he nods his head slightly. 

“Glad you could make it.” Jongdae says as he leads them to the bar. His hand is itching to grab onto Baekhyun’s ass, slap it and watch it jiggle beneath his pants. If it even could in such tight jeans, he wonders.  
“Of course!” Baekhyun beams. “But are you sure about this?” He asks timidly and Jongdae struggles to hide the sly smile that’s threatening to break across his face. He knows Baekhyun thinks it’s gonna be just one drink but Jongdae is planning for so much more. Time to bring out the sex appeal...and lay it on thick, Jongdae decides.  
“You know,” He whispers in Baekhyun’s ear, lips mere millimeters away from kissing the soft skin. “I’d better be careful with you tonight.” He says as his voice drops an octave or two lower. Baekhyun darts his eyes around, wondering what Jongdae could mean but before he could start panicking, Jongdae giggles. He actually giggles.  
“What I mean is,” he says as he slowly encircles Baekhyun’s wrist that’s currently hanging by his side. “Others might think you’re too good to pass up and might wanna get a taste of you tonight. So I better keep my hands on you, you know, for just in case. I’ll protect you” He flashes Baekhyun a cheshire grin and tilts his head to the side in a mock attempt at looking innocent while his thoughts are anything but. “I’m a police officer after all”. 

Baekhyun has been expecting the advances Jongdae is making because one thing’s for sure; Baekhyun is no brain dead idiot. He knows people gawk at his beauty and men and women alike try to get in his pants. He’s had enough of sticking with friends who only want him for his ass. But right now in this situation, he really needs the information Jongdae can provide. Would a one night stand really be that bad? He’s sure the payoff would be so much better. Just suck it up, for one night, he mentally encourages himself.

Feigning innocence, he smiles up at Jongdae, a wide childlike smile, and laughs. “Well, I’m with you so…” His sentence trails off in a husky tone. He doesn’t need to say more. He knows he’s got Jongdae hook, line and sinker.  
“Exactly.” Jongdae agrees as they take a seat at a small secluded table near the back of the bar. The crowd inside is rowdy, of course, what’s new? It is happy hour after all. The harsh stench of alcohol penetrates the air, mixing with the rank odor of cigarette smoke and bodies oozing sweat. The lighting is dim, a few yellow, blue and green bulbs shining lazily from ceiling fixtures above and the small wooden tables and chairs lay strewn hither and thither. Baekhyun hates places like this. The noise, the smell, the bad lighting; it’s enough for him to gag. 

Jongdae gets up to grab two glasses of beer and while he’s gone, he keeps his eyes trained on Baekhyun like a hunter watching his prey, playing with his prey before he strikes it down. This guy is so oblivious, he thinks. He notices a few people visit the table while he’s waiting for their beers and his lips curl in ferocious anger while a growl leaves his mouth. He hates these losers hitting on Baekhyun when clearly the guy is with him tonight. But no sooner after he leaves Baekhyun alone, he’s back and passing him his tall glass of Lager, drops of water like beads of sweat perspiring down the sides, not unlike the strangers dancing a few feet away. Baekhyun takes a sip of the bubbling foam first and lets out a sigh of satisfaction. It sure tastes damn good. But he can’t relish too much in the moment. He needs to keep his mind alert and talk to Jongdae about the files. 

“So, how soon can you get your hands on my parents’ case files?” He gets straight to the point, leaning in closer to Jongdae to be heard above the noise.  
“Baekhyun, Baekhyun, Baekhyun.” Jongdae tsks, clicking his tongue disapprovingly. “Let’s not talk about that now. Look, we’re out having a good time so let’s not ruin it, okay?” He says with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. Oh, but the good time is still yet to begin, he chuckles to himself.  
Baekhyun merely nods. “Okay, but we need to talk about it soon. I’m planning on leaving within a few days. I don’t have much time.”  
“Leaving?” Jongdae asks confused. “Where to?”  
Baekhyun is silent for a while. There is a place he feels he needs to go to; somewhere he knows he can find an answer or two. But he doubts he should disclose this information to Jongdae, to anyone in fact.. “My grandparents.” He lies but he knows Jongdae falls for it when he sees the guy nodding his head in understanding.  
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow then. Is that alright with you?” Jongdae asks as he stretches his hands out, like a feline, and grazes Baekhyun’s own digits.  
“Yeah, sure.” Baekhyun returns the gesture with a small smile. He has little faith that Jongdae will come through, but he has to take the chance. 

The night wears on and one glass turns into four, accompanied by a couple shots of tequila, too. And Baekhyun knows what’s coming when Jongdae scoots closer to him, wraps his arm around his waist and leans in to lay soft kisses along Baekhyun’s jaw, neck and shoulder. He can’t help but shudder at the obtrusive feeling of Jongdae’s lips grazing at his skin. But he sucks it up; he has to if he’s going to try get anything out of this man. Tomorrow they will talk and by the end of the week, Baekhyun will be turning his back on this shady little town and never set foot in it again. 

“Hey,” Baekhyun says softly as he leans back to look Jongdae in the eyes. “Let’s get out of here?” His eyes are wide as he pretends to be all innocent about his question, but Jongdae’s, on the other hand, turns dark and wicked with something akin to lust lurking within.  
“Fuck yeah.” He answers and grabs for Baekhyun’s arm to drag him out the door. 

 

 

They stumble in Jongdae’s studio apartment, lips melded to each other and hands roughly roaming whatever stretch of skin they could find. Jongdae is very much into this, losing himself in passion and wasting no time. He is eager and horny as he repeatedly chants yes, yes, yes in his head. They crash onto the bed and Jongdae immediately strips Baekhyun of his clothes, nearly tearing his shirt in two when it catches on Baekhyun’s head.

“Wow!” He stares at the man’s naked form. Jongdae’s not sure he’s ever seen something so heavenly before and silently thanks the gods above for this precious gift. Baekhyun’s skin is just as smooth as he thought it would be and he can’t wait to see it flower into purple marks as he bends down to nip and suck. 

“You, too.” Baekhyun whispers. He slowly tugs up Jongdae’s shirt. His fingers feel numb from the alcohol and his head is buzzing on a high but still, he knows exactly what he’s doing. He wishes he could enjoy this moment, to get lost in the throes of passion but he finds himself, whether it be body or heart, resisting. Jongdae frees himself of his fabric restraints and lays on top of Baekhyun. He suckles the man’s neck and fondles his manhood as he feels his own sex growing hard between them. He grips both his and Baekhyun’s lengths and starts pumping them together, slowly at first, as if to tease, and then a little more roughly. But all Baekhyun can do is shut his eyes tight. He can feel Jongdae’s breath heavy on his face and the man’s moans penetrate the silence of his apartment. Baekhyun is sure the neighbors can hear Jongdae’s beastly grunts from across the hall. 

Jongdae thinks this is going very well but after a few minutes of his ministrations, Baekhyun still remains limp in his hand. He tries to ignore this fact and instead smacks his lips against Baekhyun’s, prying his mouth open and diving his tongue in deep exploration.  
It’s not that Jongdae is not attractive; he clearly is what with the scores of people waiting in line to be with him, but Baekhyun just doesn’t feel that sort of sexual attraction towards him. So he tells himself to pretend, just for tonight pretend he’s with someone he loves and who loves him back. Pretend your life is not your own. Pretend you’re someone else. Pretend you love him and he loves you. 

As if his thoughts dampen the mood in the room, Jongdae stops and stares at Baekhyun, a look of uncertainty in his eyes.  
“What?” Baekhyun asks, his arms tightening around Jongdae’s lean shoulders, trying to tug them down. But Jongdae doesn’t budge. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slow. He’s trying to regain control over himself. “Honestly, Baek.” He says, eventually looking him in the eye. “I don’t think I can do this to you.” He realizes and immediately sees the panic in Baekhyun’s eyes. It’s too much so he gets up from the bed, picking up Baekhyun’s clothes and tossing it back to him.  
Dumbfounded, Baekhyun quickly covers his nakedness. “W-what do you mean?” He stutters and watches as Jongdae leaves the room. He jumps up from the bed and rushes after him.  
“You’re a good kid. I can’t take advantage of you like this.” Jongdae answers him. His eyes stare at the hardwood floors beneath his feet because he can’t believe what he was just about to do. This isn’t him. He’s not someone who takes advantage of other people’s weaknesses. He a police officer for fuck’s sake! 

“But you’re not.” Baekhyun argues. “It’s okay. I know what we’re doing and it’s okay.” He starts panicking as he thinks that he’ll lose Jongdae and all the information he can get out of the guy.  
“No, it’s not right. You’re my friend and I can tell you don’t really want this.” He drops down on the couch and stares into nowhere.  
“B-but does this mean you won’t help me?” Baekhyun’s voice trembles as tears start pooling in his eyes.  
There is a long silence for a while. Baekhyun awkwardly stands, still naked, while bunching up his clothes in his arms, waiting for the inevitable. Jongdae’s going to say no. Shit! I’ve fucked this up!  
When Jongdae doesn’t answer, he pulls on his pants and shirt and makes his way to the door.  
I’ll never forgive myself. He berates. I was THIS close and I let it fall through my fingers. His hand closes around the door knob and twists it open.

“I’ll help you.” Comes Jongdae’s voice in an almost whisper. Baekhyun freezes. Did he hear right? The police officer stands up and walks towards Baekhyun, placing his hands on his shoulders and looking him straight in the eyes.  
“I’ll help you because you’ve been through shit and so have I. I know what it’s like, Baek.” He says with certainty and confidence. Baekhyun can’t contain the tears any longer and they spill over. Jongdae embraces him and holds him for who knows how long. 

“It’s okay.” He whispers soothingly. “You’re going to be okay.” 

 

///

 

 

Baekhyun rests his head on the small desk tucked in the corner of the motel room and closes his eyes. It’s come to the point where he has to try really hard to remember what his parents’ faces looked like. He’s got photos but they’re simply images, still and unmoving. He wants to see their faces morph into smiles, into laughter, their eyes crinkling in delight. He wants to feel their warmth, breathe them in. He wants them to wrap their arms around his frail body and hold him tight. Though he spent twelve years of his life with his parents, his finds himself forgetting more and more about their time together the older he gets. He quickly sits up and grabs his journal, jotting down the few memories he has. 

"I remember my mother", he writes, "sitting together with me on the sofa in the living room. She was beautiful, sensational even, like a 1950s Hollywood celebrity. Her dark brown hair stopped short just underneath her chin. Her skin was pale and flawless. Her eyes always sparkled with life. I remember gaining so much strength from her courage. She was a strong woman.  
She always wore a particular perfume. Cacharel’s Anais Anais; I could never forget the name. It was a sort of soft powdery scent, floral and subtle. I always smiled when her fragrance wafted through my nose. It reminded me of home." On numerous occasions, Baekhyun wanted to buy a bottle just to reminisce for old times’ sake but thought better of it.

"And dad", he continues writing, the faint scratching of his pen filling the silence of the room. "Dad was always a hero in my eyes. A police officer, a dedicated husband, a kind father. I truly aspire to be like him.  
He was no taller than I am now, I presume. His jet black hair was always neatly gelled back and his face clean shaven. I remember a time he took me to a coffee shop bookstore. Man, did I love that place! Dad and I enjoyed nothing more than to be absorbed in a book, drinking on some hot mocha. Too bad the place shut down a few years back."

“I will find out who killed you.” He whispers as he finishes his writing and closes his journal. The small motel room offers no form of entertainment save for reruns on the old television set sitting in front of the bed. So he decides to rather focus on the copies of the folders Jongdae managed to get him. 

“I’m such a badass.” Jongdae’s voice rings in his head. “I snuck in the back after shift hours and quickly copied all the files. And not only that, but I managed to hack into the sheriff’s computer and print out anything else I could find there, too.” Jongdae boasted when he gave Baekhyun the copies just before he left town.  
“Jongdae is secretly a good guy,” Baekhyun says to himself. “But I’m sure that man’s rebellious side will bite him in the ass one day”. Though it benefits Baekhyun just perfect because now he’s got all the information the police have and he’s pretty sure he can do a better job than them, even with his lack of investigative skills and connections. He's no Sherlock after all. 

He opens the first folder and scans through, blatantly ignoring the graphic photographs depicting the deceased. He knows these are his parents, but right now he has to take a step back and look at this from an objective point of view. He finds more photographs. These being of his tiny wrists bearing bruising from the ropes that had bound him. He quickly reads the medical certificates of death and tries not to gag when he notices the details of how severe his father’s injuries were. 

And when he turns the page, he stops and stares. There is the mugshot of the killer, one of the killers at least. Baekhyun saw his face just once and that was when the police first caught him. At the time, he was in a line up and the cops asked little Baekhyun if he could recognize any of the men. Of course, he couldn’t. All three men were heavily masked during the attack. He couldn’t even tell the color of their skin, let alone their facial features.  
He reads the criminal record before him. There are numerous accounts of disorderly conduct, one count of trespassing, two counts of assault and then, one count of homicide in the first degree at which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. 

“Such a disturbed soul.” He mutters and wonders why this man committed such crimes. Did he feel guilty for what he did? There’s no way to know for sure.  
He goes through various reports and scoffs when he reads, “Byun Baekhyun convinced three persons were present that night- NO EVIDENCE.” He just simply can’t understand how the police can brush off his statement like that. Was it because he was just a kid at the time? Maybe there was some conspiracy in the department and no one looked into it? 

Past pages and pages of, what he deems, useless information he comes to an abrupt stop. It’s a single A4 page with messy writing in the middle circled a few times. Baekhyun feels a chill run down his spine and suddenly the room feels much too cold. There in black and white is the name of the town he is already heading towards. He knew, he just knew, this is the place he needs to go to but there was always a linger of doubt. Now, however, all doubt is erased. What awaits him in the town of Pearl River, he doesn’t know. 

Except maybe Kim Jongin. 

Baekhyun finds nothing else written about Pearl River anywhere in the folders. Perhaps it was a lead that no one decided to check out. “No surprises there.” He thinks. He shuts the folders and places them back in his bag, hiding them under his clothes in case someone happens to catch a peak but before he can settle down for the night, a knock raps on the door. 

Maybe it’s because of his paranoia, created by not so pleasant past experiences, but he feels his body immediately tense up and go on the defensive. He isn’t expecting anyone. No one who knows him should know he’s here. Maybe it’s the motel manager? He thinks. He edges closer to the door and lets out an ungodly shriek when the knocking comes again. 

“W-who is there?” He stammers out.  
No answer.  
He clears his throat and tries again. “Yes?” he asks louder and lets out a breath of relief when the reply finally comes and it’s not as life threatening as he thought.  
“Hi, sorry to bother. The ice machine out front is empty. I was wondering if you had any? I saw you go out earlier to get some.” The voice on the other side asks, no hint of malice or harm.  
“W-what do you n-need it for?” Way to go, Baekhyun, now the guy probably thinks you’re a moron, he chides himself.  
“I, um, had a bit of an accident. I sorta shut the door on my finger and need ice to bring down the swelling. If you don’t have, it’s okay. I’ll go to the front desk.” Realization hits him. He did hear a yelp and something like a hiss from the room next door. Ah, so it was this guy! 

He quickly opens the door and is surprised when he meets a man of incredible stature. “Wait, I think I’ve got some left.” He greets the man and gestures for him to come inside. As Baekhyun walks over to the mini fridge and pulls out the pack of left over ice, the man comes in and stands awkwardly, still holding his throbbing finger in his other hand. 

“Here.” Baekhyun says and offers the pack. “Thanks.” The man replies and offers something of his own in return. It is a smile so wide and beautiful that Baekhyun has to lean against something before it knocks him off his feet.  
“I’m Chanyeol.” The man says and Baekhyun mirrors the same smile. “Baekhyun.” he states and lifts his hand to shake the other man’s but quickly drops it when he realizes Chanyeol cannot shake hands at the moment. 

“So, um, yeah. Thanks again.” Chanyeol turns around and starts heading out the door but stops when Baekhyun suddenly shouts for him to wait.  
“Do you, uh, you need me to help you?” He asks shyly but keeps eye contact despite the blush that creeps up on his cheeks. Chanyeol cannot help but find Baekhyun’s shyness adorable. He quickly clears his throat and plays a mask of indifference once he realizes he’s staring a bit too long. 

“Thanks, Baekhyun. But I don’t see what else you could do.” He answers while motioning to the ice pack already closing around his finger.  
“I’ve got some anti-inflammatory ointment.” Baekhyun says. “Luckily I decided to bring my little first-aid kit during my travels.” He walks over to his duffel bag and starts digging for the tiny red box with a white cross on the lid. 

As he searches, Chanyeol peers over and notices a few pages hidden just at the bottom of the bag. When Baekhyun stands back up, Chanyeol darts his eyes away, pretending to be looking elsewhere. 

“Here it is. Let me put some on, yeah?” Chanyeol nods at the offer and the two squat on the bed, Chanyeol holding out his painfully swollen finger. Baekhyun can’t help but let out a hiss when he notices how badly the finger looks. The fingernail is bloody underneath and already turning purple. “Ouch.” he mutters and proceeds to apply the ointment. 

“So, you’re traveling? Where to?” Chanyeol asks. He makes it a point to show that his question is an attempt at distracting him from the pain.  
“Oh, um…” Baekhyun scrunches up his eyebrows, feigning concentration, when really he’s trying to think up of a lie. He really needs to talk to his psychologist about these trust issues of his.  
“Nowhere special. Just Blue Hills.” He says. Blue Hills is a county a day’s drive away from the motel and the exact opposite direction of Pearl River.  
“Oh, I see. I just came from there actually. They were celebrating Mardi Gras this past weekend. It got pretty rough.” Chanyeol laughs at the memory of drunken folks wearing bright outlandish costumes stumbling through the streets singing old jazz songs and acting unnaturally affectionate to any passing soul. 

“Well, my grandparents live there. I couldn’t make it to the celebrations but better late than never, right?” He smiles up at Chanyeol hoping he can successfully deceive the man.  
“Of course!” Chanyeol agrees. Baekhyun is finished applying the ointment and Chanyeol takes his finger back, wrapping it in the ice once again.  
“Thanks, Baekhyun. You’re a lifesaver.” Chanyeol beams.  
Laughing, Baekhyun shakes his head. “It’s not like you were dying.” He says and Chanyeol joins in the laughter.  
“Where are you heading off to?” Baekhyun asks. Chanyeol is still chuckling when he answers.  
“Georgia.” He says. “Back home.” 

The two remain sitting on the bed, though the work is already done. They don’t move and instead stare into each other’s eyes like some sappy romance movie. To Baekhyun, Chanyeol feels like a breath of fresh air. The man is genuinely friendly and easy to get along with; much different from the obnoxious assholes in his old town. 

“Say,” Chanyeol breaks the silence. “Have you ever heard of a town called Pearl River?” He asks suddenly and Baekhyun has to try oh so very hard not to show any form of emotion.  
“Why do you ask that?” He mumbles.  
“No reason. Just heard some strange shit happening there. Thought a traveler like yourself might know.” There’s nothing but curiosity embedded in Chanyeol’s eyes but still, Baekhyun will rather much like to keep Pearl River a secret, lying buried and locked in a mental box for as long as he can help it.  
“Sorry, I don’t know anything.” He offers Chanyeol a smile and gets up from the bed, a quiet indication that it’s time for Chanyeol to leave.  
“Cool, no worries.” Chanyeol says and walks to the door. “Thanks again for your help and safe travels.” He bids goodbye. Baekhyun returns the greeting and turns back to his duffel bag to put the first-aid kit away. It is then that he stops and he feels his blood freezing in his veins. Right there out in the open is the page with the words, Pearl River, scrawled on it, sticking out from the folders in his bag like a sore thumb. 

Baekhyun starts panicking. Is this why Chanyeol asked about Pearl River? Did he see the page?

 

///

 

 

It’s a nine hour drive to Pearl River and the monotonous scenery does not help in keeping Baekhyun awake and alert. Though he has never been a fan of forests, what with their long shadows and mysteries (not to mention the countless horror movies he’s watched of deranged inbreds living among the trees) but at least the roads are quiet as not many travel this way often. And he’s thankful for the nonexistent traffic and vacant roads.

Baekhyun thinks back to when he first heard of the town. 

His parents were arguing; his mother kept shouting about a Kim Jongin and his dad kept saying he’s got no choice but to go back to Pearl River. His mother threw her hands in the air. “Don’t say that name. Don’t mention that place ever again to me, you understand?!” And that was the end of it. His dad grabbed his car keys and left, probably to Pearl River and Baekhyun was left alone with a furious mother. 

These arguments never happened often but whenever they did, it was always about Pearl River or a Kim Jongin, whom Baekhyun knew nothing about. The day before him and his parents were attacked, his father had complained that he desperately needed to go back to Pearl River and his mother had given him an ultimatum- either he goes and stays away for good, or he doesn’t go and stays with his family. Of course, his father chose his family, how could he not? But less than 24 hours later, three men dragged them into a bedroom, beat his father up and shot his mother. Baekhyun can’t help but think Pearl River, or perhaps Kim Jongin, had something to do with the incident. 

Now he is on the very same road his father had once traveled, driving towards a place he feels trepidation for. He’s scared of many things; of the answers he might receive, or the lack thereof. But if he’s going to go down this road, he has to calm his fears and face the unknown. “You’re strong, Baekhyun-ah. You can do this!” He encourages himself and feels slightly better for voicing it out loud. 

Finally the town comes into view and Baekhyun lets out a breath of relief. His body aches all over; muscles he never thought he had throbs in pain and his headache, combined with an incessant hunger, does not do him any justice. He rolls his car past the welcome sign and notes, with worry, how quiet everything is. “Does anyone even live here?” He ponders as he makes his way down the only main road and starts entering the town. But soon one or two people are seen walking down the sidewalks, entering little stores and even a car or two passes him by. 

He pulls up at the local county police department. “Might as well start here.” He reasons and ever so slowly extracts his body, which seems melted to the seat, out of the car. When he walks into the department, he can’t help but think how small it is compared to the one he is familiar with back home. 

A door chime rings, like one in a store, and a head which was previously busy fussing over numerous files and folders, suddenly jerks up. The man at the desk pushes up his thick rimmed glasses on his nose and squints his eyes to the door. 

“How may I help you, Sir?” Comes the man’s nasally voice.  
“Hello. My name is Baekhyun and I just arrived in town. I’m looking for someone and I was wondering if any of the police here might know this person.” Baekhyun states, thinking that in a small town like this, everyone knows everyone.  
“Oh, okay. Who is it you are looking for?” The man asks with a smile.  
“Kim Jongin.” Baekhyun states and watches the man’s face intently to see any sign of acknowledgement.  
“Ah, Kim Kai! Yes, yes, you’ve come to the right place.” The man says enthusiastically, as if welcoming guests to a carnival. “He’s our Head Chief. But he’s out on an errand right now. You can wait here or come back later, if it’s not too much hassle?” Baekhyun wonders at the luck he’s struck. The first place he asks and it happens to be the exact right place. Genius, he sings to himself. 

“I’ll come back later. Is there a motel or something I can stay at?” He takes a quick glance down the street, searching for any such place but comes up empty.  
“There is a place on the edge of town. Old lady Chaerin has a guest house where you can stay. Go down the main road till you come to a t-junction, turn left. You’ll eventually come to a gravel road. Continue for about 5 miles and you’ll see her house on the right.” Baekhyun secretly becomes bitter at the prospect of having to drive more, even if it is only for a few miles. But he nods nonetheless and asks what time he should be back to see the Head Chief. After confirming the time, he drags himself back to the car and drives off to the guest house. 

At 4 pm, feeling refreshed after a shower, nap and lunch, Baekhyun walks into the police department and immediately freezes when he notices an all too familiar figure.  
“Chanyeol?” He asks incredulously as he looks the man’s form up and down. Am I dreaming? He wonders.  
“Baekhyun?” Chanyeol greets. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to Blue Hills?” Baekhyun gulps at the blatant lie he fed Chanyeol. Should he come clean? Or lie again to save his ass? Before he can say anything though, a deep smoky voice cuts in.  
“Baekhyun? As in Byun Baekhyun?” A young man, probably only a few years older than Baekhyun himself stands up and strolls towards him.  
“Uh, yes?” Baekhyun replies feeling unassured. He’s never seen this man before, yet this man seems to know him well.  
“Chief Kim Jongin. I heard you were in town. Do you want to go to my office where we can have a chat?” He asks and Baekhyun misses the scowl on Chanyeol’s face as Chief Kim leads him away. 

“Do you know Chanyeol?” Chief Kim asks as soon as he closes his office door.  
“We’ve met before I came here.” Baekhyun says but refrains from giving too much detail. What the relationship between the two is, he doesn’t know and he’d much prefer to keep out of it.  
Chief Jongin runs his hand down his face, exhaustion painting his handsome features. “This is about your parents, isn’t it?” He asks and locks eyes with Baekhyun. 

The air suddenly stiffens and Baekhyun feels himself cower in his seat, moving backwards into the material of the chair and wishing he could be absorbed into it and disappear. Anxiety eats at him like a termite to wood and his chest constricts in panic. But he keeps himself together; he has to if he’s going to find any answers. He merely nods at Chief Jongin’s question and waits for the man to continue. 

“Did they tell you about me?” Chief Jongin asks and Baekhyun shakes his head no.  
“I’ve heard your name come up in...conversations,” Or rather arguments but he refrains from saying so. “But that’s about it.” Chief Jongin sighs at this and slumps into his chair staring at the ceiling. “Then you’re probably not going to like what I’m about to tell you.” He says and looks Baekhyun straight in the eye. “My father was Byun Baekjae. Your father was my father, too. A few years before you were born, your father lived here in Pearl River and his girlfriend at the time, my mother, fell pregnant. But it was messy. My mother...she was not the nicest person to ever exist.” 

Baekhyun stares at the revelation. This is something he definitely did not think of. He’s speechless and waits for the Chief to continue.  
“My mother got into all sorts of trouble and so our father broke it off with her. That was before he knew she was pregnant, though. She kept me a secret for years until she found out our father had married and started a family of his own. She became obsessed and sent him and your mom death threats, saying she would kill them and take you away. Knowing what a complete lunatic she was, our father tried to gain custody of me and it turned into hell, real messy. I’m sorry to say but it made your parents’ marriage a bit rocky, that much I know.” He finishes and looks at Baekhyun for some sort of reaction, but the man is solid as stone, his face deadpanned and lips sealed.

“Hey, are you okay?” The Chief asks and reaches out to place a reassuring hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder but he flinches away.  
“Y-your mother,” Baekhyun begins. “If she sent death threats, and they actually did die, who’s to say she didn’t have something to do with it?” He voices his question as he feels a bubble of hate surge within.  
“Impossible.” The Chief states simply.  
“Impossible?!” Baekhyun shouts and stands up so abruptly that his chair topples over. “What makes you so fucking certain, huh?” His gaze is full of anger, his fists are clenched as he waits for the Chief to answer.  
“Because she’s dead, Baekhyun. She died months before your parents. Suicide. She had nothing to do with the murders.” His heart pains and he can’t seem to stop shaking but Baekhyun composes himself enough to ask the next question. “What about you? What happened to you?”  
“Ah, at the time I was 18 so I was legal to live on my own. Of course, our father tried to get me to go live with you and them, but I didn’t want to cause anymore suffering. I was fully aware of my mother’s actions and I knew I shouldn’t intervene in the dynamics of your family. Though I did keep in touch with them.”  
Baekhyun picks up his chair and settles down again, his head running through possible equations, possible motives, possible suspects. Then he remembers something. 

“The day before they were killed, my dad was supposed to come here but my mom wouldn’t let him. She was furious with him and even told him not to mention your name again. What was that all about?” He asks and his attention is fully on the Chief. If his face so much as twitches, Baekhyun will accuse him of lying.  
The Chief’s face falls, but not because of deceit but rather shame. “You know about that, huh?” He asks rhetorically. “After my mother’s death, I wasn’t in a good place. In an attempt to soothe my heartache, I got involved in some pretty nasty stuff; drugs, alcohol. All of it illegal, of course. I was arrested a couple times, too and our father always had to bail me out. He spent so much money on me trying to rehabilitate me and what not. I really gave your parents hell. I’m not surprised your mom wanted nothing to do with me. I’m really sorry about that.” He ends in a whisper. 

Baekhyun really can’t hold any of this against him. He had a pretty good idea of what Jongin had gone through. He lost his parents too. “It’s okay.” He reassured. “But…” He has to ask. “Who do you think killed my parents? I want an honest answer.” At this, the Chief suddenly lifts his head towards the door and narrows his eyes, though the door had been closed the entire time and remains closed. He quickly grabs a pen and scrawls on a piece of paper, shoving it towards Baekhyun. It reads: Not here. Meet me tomorrow for lunch at the cafe across the street. Baekhyun crumples up the note and nods. 

“I really can’t say!” The chief announces as if he’s talking to a crowd with over exaggerated enthusiasm . “Well, Baekhyun!” he’s nearly shouting now. “You must be so tired! Why don’t you go back and get some rest, huh?!” And he stands up, leading the man towards the door. When they open it, Baekhyun lets out a tiny yelp in surprise. 

Standing right there is Chanyeol with his ear plastered against the door. 

 

///

 

 

Baekhyun doesn’t know what the fuck is up with Chanyeol. He counts all of his suspicions so far since they first met. First, Chanyeol asks about Pearl River after he so obviously sees the page sticking out of Baekhyun’s bag. Second, he shows up at Pearl River even though he says he’s going somewhere else, though Baekhyun knows he’s done the exact same thing. Third, he shows up at the police station where Baekhyun just so happened to be. And fourth, he’s caught eavesdropping on a private conversation between him and Chief Jongin. 

“Just what is his fucking deal?” Baekhyun is exasperated and he doesn’t think he can wreck his brains anymore this late afternoon. He’s still exhausted from his drive and after his chat with the Chief, he’s got a lot to think about. 

A knock echos on his door, followed by the gruff elderly voice of Ms. Chaerin, lady of the guest house. “Dear, if you want, dinner is ready. Come down to the kitchen.” She says kindly. Baekhyun replies with an “ okay” and “thank you” before shutting the folders he has strewn across a small wooden desk. His stomach grumbles excitedly as his lunch was only a measly salad. 

As he makes his way to the kitchen, he starts to hear the bubbling laughter of voices from the room and immediately stops. He knows the first to be Ms. Chaerin, however the second voice he recognizes begrudgingly. It is the unmistakable voice of Chanyeol. Strange, Baekhyun thinks. He was sure he was the only guest in the house. Is this where Chanyeol is staying now? He asks himself. Maybe he’s stalking me. He thinks as he makes his way into the kitchen. 

The aroma is mouth-watering and it promptly erases all suspicion of Chanyeol for the moment. Indeed, it has been a while since he’s had a good home cooked meal. There are pots of various sizes on top the old cast iron stove and Ms. Chaerin has already set the table with floral patterned plates, knives and forks, napkins and a glass for each person. She has set the table for three. 

“Oh, Baekhyun!” She greets. “ C’mon in. The food is best served hot. Have you met Chanyeol? He’ll be staying here in the room across the hall from yours.” Baekhyun nods as Chanyeol informs her that yes, they have already met.  
“By the way, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol turns to the man as they all settle down at the dining table. “My finger is so much better since you put that stuff on. Thanks again!” Chanyeol shines a face full of smiles towards Baekhyun and the man has to wonder how he’s not blinded from it at all. He also wonders why he ever doubted Chanyeol, what with an angelic smile like that.  
“Um, yeah, no problem.” He mutters a reply. What he really wants is to ask Chanyeol what he’s doing in Pearl River and what was all that back at the police department. But now’s not the right time, especially with a local sitting just a few feet away. 

The dinner wears on, snatches of conversation float around the table, nothing revolutionary and before either of the two men know it, they’ve wolfed down their dinners and lean back against their chairs, bellies sticking out in satisfaction of a good meal.  
“That was excellent, Ms. Chaerin.” Baekhyun says and watches the shy smile appear across the woman’s face. “Yes, it definitely was.” Chanyeol agrees.  
“Oh, you two boys are too kind.” She replies with a wave of her hand. 

Eventually, Chanyeol decides to retire for the night and Baekhyun thinks now is his chance to get some answers. He stalks after Chanyeol and when the man closes his door, Baekhyun blocks it with his foot in the doorway.  
“Is there something you need?” Chanyeol asks, only mildly surprised at Baekhyun’s action as if he was half expecting him to do something like this.  
“There is, in fact.” He answers and enters the room uninvited. Chanyeol’s luggage is dumped on the bed still zipped shut, a sign that he must have booked in just recently, some time after Baekhyun. 

“Well? What is it?” Chanyeol asks as he sits on the edge of the bed with a sigh and a hand gingerly rubbing his food baby.  
“What’s your deal?” Baekhyun gets straight to the point as he closes the door and then starts recounting all the “coincidental” run-ins with Chanyeol.  
“Look, it’s not what you think.” Chanyeol raises his hands as if Baekhyun is some sort of mongrel about to attack. “I heard stories of this town and always wanted to come here. Yes, I saw that page sticking out in your bag and thought that you’d know something. When you said you were going to Blue Hills, I genuinely believed you but I couldn’t help but wonder what’s up with this town. So I made a detour and came here instead.” 

Baekhyun is silent as Chanyeol pleads his case and takes a seat next to him on the bed. The guy pulls off a pretty good look of innocence. In fact, the way he’s sitting on his bed, the way his hands fly over the place as he talks, his eyes stretched wide in honesty, all tell a story of vulnerability and a part of Baekhyun actually feels sorry for the guy. He can see Chanyeol’s not rich; his wardrobe definitely needs some updating and he’s skinny as a rake, perhaps from not eating often. His voice is clear of vindication though, and he will occasionally glance away out of shyness but not deceit 

Honestly, Baekhyun can’t get a read on Chanyeol. 

“Let’s say I believe you,” Baekhyun starts. “It seems as if some of the locals already know you. This isn’t your first time here, is it?” And he narrows his eyes towards the man.  
Chanyeol takes a deep breath and admits that no, it's not his first time here. Silence ensues and Baekhyun wonders if Chanyeol will elaborate. He eventually does after it seems he’s collected his thoughts.  
“I’ve always been fascinated with this place. People come here and go missing. The cops here always seem to be whispering under their breath. And the locals never act as if something’s amiss.” He says quietly, eyes occasionally darting to the closed door. 

“So?” Baekhyun asks, unconvinced. “Maybe there really is nothing amiss and the locals are living good lives with nothing to complain about.”  
“I don’t think so.” Chanyeol interjects. “They are sometimes so happy-go-lucky that it’s, well, it’s creepy!” He exclaims, feeling frustrated that he’s turned up only dust and not a single satisfactory answer so far.  
Baekhyun chuckles at this. “You want to tell me that people who are happy are creepy?” He raises his eyebrows in disbelief, a small smirk still tainting his features.  
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. Look,” Chanyeol says and shifts his form on the bed to get more comfortable. “They’ve had like a witch hunt here a few years ago. Some locals and tourists were cuffed, thrown in a cell, starved and then they vanished. Vanished into thin air, I tell ya! But, there’s no evidence of this. The only reason why I know this to be true is because I was here when it happened. I saw it with my own two eyes.” 

Baekhyun is not sure how to process this information. “Okay, but so? This is their town. What they do is none of my business. I’m just here for-” He stops himself. Should he reveal his true intentions to Chanyeol?

“If you don’t wanna tell me, it’s fine. But just a word of warning, Kim Jongin is not all what he seems. Be careful of what he tells you.” Chanyeol reaches out to Baekhyun and gently holds his hand in his own. He squeezes softly and smiles when Baekhyun squeezes back. 

It’s strange. Baekhyun thinks. There are so many red flags when it comes to Chanyeol but from all the people he’s met, including his so-called half-brother, Chief Jongin, Chanyeol’s the only one to offer him a smile and kindness. Warmth, he thinks. Looking up, he meets eyes with Chanyeol and cannot help but admire how handsome the man truly is. Chanyeol’s face has this open honesty about it, like you can trust him and put your faith in him. His gaze trails down to his lips and lingers there, wanting to know what they taste like, how they feel against his own. He wants to feel more of that warmth that emanates from Chanyeol. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Baekhyun thinks this strange sudden attraction towards the man is because he’s never felt someone other than his parents love him. And god damn, does he crave it! He wants to be held and cherished. He wants to kiss the man sitting next to him.

And it seems Chanyeol is thinking the same thing when he leans in and pecks a soft kiss on the side of Baekhyun’s lips as if Chanyeol is testing the waters, making sure he doesn’t scare Baekhyun off. But Baekhyun’s no timid rabbit and he doesn’t scare easily; he can fend for himself. So he turns his head slightly and their lips meet. There’s nothing hasty in their little kiss. This is new territory for the both of them and they take it slow. 

Eventually their lips slot together and move ever so languidly as if time itself has slowed down. Baekhyun quite enjoys the soft pillows of Chanyeol’s lips moving against his own. He likes the tickling sensation that happens when Chanyeol tilts his head slightly to the side and kisses him deeply. But most of all, he likes the closeness; the fact that he breathes Chanyeol’s air and feels the man’s skin against his own. When they pull apart, they aren’t panting for air or sweating because of the sudden spike in body temperature. They are composed and calm and stare at each other in a comfortable quiet. 

“If you ever need anything, Baekhyun, just know you can trust me. I’ll be here for you, I promise.” Chanyeol whispers. Baekhyun shakes his head and says; “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. You don’t know me, Chanyeol. Maybe you won’t like me if you see the real me.” Baekhyun thinks back to his nightmares and panic attacks. People who’ve gotten close to him in the past have always given him the stink eye at these revelations and then bolted out the door. And though Chanyeol doesn’t seem to be that sort of person, the fact is Baekhyun doesn’t know him either. And if it’s one thing he’s learnt over the years, it’s that people are good at hiding secrets. 

“I guess I’ll just have to prove it to you then.” Chanyeol responds and kisses Baekhyun again. And Baekhyun guesses he’ll have to wait and see then. He mentally scolds himself from getting emotionally involved when he said he’s going to look at this case objectively, but right now, in Chanyeol’s presence, he can’t help but enjoy feeling. 

He gets up from the bed and walks to the door. “Good night, Chanyeol.” He says softly before walking out the room and across the hall to his own. But before he makes it into his room, he hears the voice of old lady Chaerin down in the living room.

“Chanyeol’s here again.” He hears her whisper. It seems as if she’s speaking on the phone. “Yeah, I can tell he’s tryna get close to that Byun kid.” Baekhyun stills at this and edges closer. “Well, what did I tell ya? It ain’t a good idea to have them close together.” Silence. “Oh, so that’s your plan, huh? I can’t say if it’ll work. Chanyeol’s not a coward, you know. And Byun doesn’t look like someone who’ll back down easily….Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll keep an eye on ‘em.” She hangs up the phone and Baekhyun moves backwards down the hall towards the bedrooms. He hears her footsteps coming closer and he bolts for the bedroom door, rushing inside and shutting it behind him. 

He turns around, his eyes wide in shock but his head is swimming. “You okay?” Chanyeol asks. Baekhyun locks eyes on him. 

“Tell me what you know.” 

 

///

 

 

It’s a stare off between the two. In the one corner is Baekhyun, a lost kid looking for answers, for vengeance, for justice. In the other is Chanyeol, a mystery. But they both have secrets and both seem to be the thorn in the side as far as the locals of Pearl River are concerned. 

“It can’t be true.” Baekhyun says, unwavering as he keeps his eyes peeled on Chanyeol.  
“It’s true.” Chanyeol argues.  
“Really?” Baekhyun scoffs. “Then prove it.” Chanyeol seems to give up at this. He waves his hands in the air and says; “I told you already! I’ve got no proof. I just know what I saw.” He tries so very hard to bring his case across but even he knows it’s a far-fetched story.  
“We ain’t boy scouts, Chanyeol. We’re not sitting by a campfire telling scary stories.” Baekhyun says unbelievably.  
“I know! Fuck, I know, okay?” Chanyeol seems exhausted as his body slumps against the wall and he hangs his head down low. “No one ever believes me.” He mumbles like a little kid and Baekhyun feels a little sad for him. Chanyeol is a loner just like him and he’s too searching for answers. 

“I know what it’s like to have no one believe you.” He whispers and Chanyeol shoots his head back up. “You do?” He asks.  
Baekhyun hesitates a moment and then decides to move closer to Chanyeol. “See, my parents were murdered a couple years back. The cops, they caught the culprit. Well, one of ‘em at least. I told them there were three men that night. Three! But they said there was only one man. They saw it on the surveillance video.” He sighs as he thinks how hopeless he feels sometimes. Will he ever find justice?  
“But you know there were three, right?” Chanyeol asks and Baekhyun nods. He feels so close to tears, so overwhelmed. Maybe he should just pack up and leave. As if understanding his thoughts, Chanyeol gently cups his chin and lifts Baekhyun’s face to look him in the eyes.  
“Don’t give up.” He whispers. “You have every right to know the truth.” And he gently kisses Baekhyun’s cheek. 

Baekhyun thinks for a minute before replying. “I won’t give up.” He says resolutely. “But I need to know what you know. Why’s Ms Chaerin talking like that ‘bout us? Who’s she talking to?” He feels his nerves becoming a little frantic.  
“I think I might know.” Comes Chanyeol’s answer. “The Chief. He told you what happened to him, yeah? His mother and all that?” Baekhyun nods. “Well, Ms Chaerin took him in when he couldn’t stand on his own two feet. At the time, Ms Chaerin’s son was the Chief but he went missing and so Jongin stepped in. Him and Ms Chaerin were...close. Like in a I-want-to-puke kind of way close.”  
“Whoa, whoa. Hold up. You’re saying they were what? Lovers?” Baekhyun really can’t believe what he’s hearing. Jongin is only a few years older than him and Ms Chaerin is rather...ancient. But Chanyeol nods anyway. “Nah, seriously?” Baekhyun asks unbelievably.  
“It’s true.” Chanyeol says.  
“And you know this how? Did you see them?” There’s a dark shadow that passes over Chanyeol’s face and Baekhyun’s not sure if he wants to pry further. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Anything you tell me is up to you. I won’t force you, you know.” In a way he says this to comfort Chanyeol but he really would like to know everything. 

“A sex tape.” Chanyeol coughs out and Baekhyun almost dies from whiplash at the rate at which he spins his head to stare at Chanyeol.  
“What?!” Chanyeol nods again in reply and Baekhyun finds himself mentally picturing the two going at it. “No, no, no, no, no. That’s...that’s just...ew! What the fuck?” Chanyeol keeps nodding like some sort of real-life bobble head. He understands Baekhyun’s reaction; he had more or less the same.  
“Wait, how do you know this? Did you...did you watch it?” He asks in a whisper as if someone could hear them.  
“I saw it, not watch it. One time when I came here, in the bedroom I stayed in, there was an old television set with a bunch of video tapes. I put one in and yeah. It came on.”  
“Oh, you poor poor thing.” Baekhyun says and places an arm around Chanyeol’s shoulders. “It must have been so traumatic for you.” He starts brushing Chanyeol’s hair with his fingers, helping to soothe the man from his troubles. 

“What was traumatic was…” He trails off then takes a huge sigh. “What was traumatic was Jongin. The way he acted, it seemed so...cruel.” And there’s that shadow over his face again, like a storm cloud brewing right above his head.  
“What do you mean?” Baekhyun asks softly. All pretense of disgust now gone; there is something serious here.  
“He was like, really forceful and violent but Ms Chaerin, she seemed to be enjoying it. She was even begging him. I was just shocked at his behavior. And when he went to switch the camera off, I could see his face clearly. He looked so so angry. It was scary.”  
“Well, people have their kinks. Whatever.”  
“No, it’s more than that Baekhyun. The way Jongin looked, the aura he was giving off. I don’t know. It seemed purely violent not just kinky.”  
Baekhyun thinks about this. Chanyeol could be feeding him bullshit so he asks; “Where’s the tape now?”  
“I made a copy then put it back where I found it. I’m trying to find out their secrets so everything I do is incognito.”  
“Do you have the copy with you now?” Baekhyun asks. Chanyeol looks at him puzzled for a moment, not knowing whether Baekhyun doesn’t believe him or he just wants to see it for himself. But either way, he gets up and grabs his laptop. 

Once he opens the file he places the laptop on Baekhyun’s lap, mutes the sound and looks away. He can’t face those images again.  
Baekhyun is silent as he watches. He skips a couple minutes but when Jongin is seen switching the camera off, Baekhyun gasps. It’s just like Chanyeol said. He looks terrifying. It’s the way his eyes narrow in anger and his posture is very stiff and threateningly. After clearing his throat, he passes the laptop back to Chanyeol.  
“Thanks for showing me.” He says.  
“Did it turn you on?” Chanyeol teases and Baekhyun makes puking sounds in the back of his throat at such prospect and Chanyeol just laughs. 

“Okay, so what now? What’s your next step?” He asks Chanyeol.  
“Well, my next step was to kiss you again. But I guess you mean the reason why I’m here in town, right?” He flashes Baekhyun a cheeky smile.  
“Let’s say, after you kiss me?” Baekhyun leans closer, voice dropping into a low whisper. “Then what?” He smiles when he sees Chanyeol gulp, his Adam’s apple bouncing a little. “I... er... don’t, um…” Mind hazy and sanity gone, he leans in and kisses Baekhyun again. 

 

 

“Just be careful today, okay? Watch your step.” Chanyeol whispers to Baekhyun as they both make to leave once breakfast is done. Ms Chaerin is busy in the corner of the kitchen and the two men are sitting at the table finishing off their scrambled eggs and bacon. “I will.” Baekhyun mouths before shining a dazzling smile towards Chanyeol. The night before, they kissed until their lips were swollen enough to look as if they had gotten Botox injections. Baekhyun hesitantly said good night, for the second time, before retiring to his lonely bedroom. The rest of his night was uneventful but he had a hard time sleeping. Every time he closed his eyes, flashbacks of his parents, of Jongin and Ms Chaerin came flooding in. He tossed and turned, giving up eventually to sit up and switch the light on. He thought about going to Chanyeol but decided not to so he spent the early hours of the morning reading. 

He doesn’t feel tired now though. He feels awake and alive, blood pumping at a steady pace. He doesn’t know what to expect from his lunch date with Chief Jongin today but he’ll keep his guard up. No doubt the Chief will say something about Chanyeol, but Baekhyun will not allow him to change the subject for why he’s really there. He’ll rather pound the answers out of Jongin than have the man turn him against Chanyeol. 

After breakfast they part ways. Chanyeol says he found a lead and is going in the opposite direction of the town. So Baekhyun sets off alone. 

It’s a bright sunny day and the weather is perfect but for the slight chill in the wind. In a town this far south it’s surprising that summer can be so nippy. But then again, the town is situated in a valley and perhaps warmth only comes later in the afternoons. 

He meets up with Jongin and as the Chief flashes his smile, Baekhyun has another flash of his face on the laptop screen; one of rage and violence. But he pushes the thought back. He needs to focus. 

They’re in the middle of their coffee when Baekhyun asks Chief Jongin to spill some details.  
“Why couldn’t we talk in your office? Is it safer here?” Baekhyun asks, his eyes glued to the Chief’s.  
“Yeah, ‘cos there’s no peeping Tom journalists tryna get a scoop on some ridiculous-ass story. You know these journalists, they’re always looking to stir up trouble just so that they can make a name for themselves, get their ten seconds of fame and what not.” The Chief takes a sip from his scalding hot coffee but seems unfazed by the heat.  
“Journalists?” Baekhyun asks. “Why are journalists here?”  
“Not journalists- plural. Journalist-singular. You know him. Park Chanyeol.” And another sip. Baekhyun internally winces at the pain but the Chief is apparently immune.  
“O-oh. I see.” Baekhyun stutters. Chanyeol didn’t mention this last night. But then again, Baekhyun was the one to say that anything Chanyeol tells him is because Chanyeol wants to tell him. There must be a reason for not saying what his true occupation is. 

“Okay, well anyway. Let’s just get straight to it. Who do you think murdered my parents?” Baekhyun asks as an attempt at steering the conversation away from Chanyeol.  
“You know, psychopaths like to involve themselves in the investigation process. They act as if they’re there to help or they act like a witness, an innocent bystander, sometimes even the victim.” The Chief starts explaining and Baekhyun doesn’t know where he’s going with this.  
“This is so they can keep an eye on things, taunt the police. But they also like to watch their handy work unfold. They love the expressions of the cops and the theories they conjure up. It’s a game to these lunatics.” Lunatics. The name resonates in Baekhyun’s mind. Flashbacks of men in uniform muttering under their breath, calling Baekhyun out on his mental sanity, or lack thereof. 

“So?” He asks the Chief.  
“So, ever since the murders, there has always been one person hanging about.” At the Chief’s word, Baekhyun finds himself on the edge of his seat. “W-who?” He stutters out as his heart starts racing.  
“You know him. Park Chanyeol.” The Chief repeats. Not Chanyeol again. Baekhyun is at a loss for words. He feels as if the Chief is just playing him but he knows that somehow the Chief will always try bring the focus back to Chanyeol. Why though? What’s his disdain for Chanyeol?  
“That’s preposterous!” Baekhyun exclaims. “Chanyeol is the same age as me. So you’re telling me he was twelve when he murdered my parents? Besides, there were three men that night. One is already rotting behind bars. That leaves two. And they were fully grown men not a bunch of pee-wee kids.” He argues. 

The Chief doesn’t seem bothered by Baekhyun’s reasoning. He lets out a deep sigh and gulps down the rest of his coffee.  
“Baekhyun, Baekhyun.” He says in a patronizing voice and Baekhyun feels the first flickers of anger. “Don’t you think you’re too emotional about this? You’re getting in too deep.” Baekhyun wants to reiterate to Chief Jongin that he is no longer a child and he’s not stupid either. But he knows the Chief’s tricks; he’s catching on. So he decides to play it cool.  
“Let’s say you’re right.” Baekhyun starts. “That leaves one other person. Who is it?”  
“That I’m not sure about but my guess is it’s someone close to Chanyeol.” Again with Chanyeol, Baekhyun thinks irritably. Feeling slightly defeated, he knows he’s not getting answers out of the Chief anytime soon, he glances at his watch and decides to end it here for today. 

“I’m going to get going. You’ve given me a lot to think about and quite frankly, my head is still killing me since the drive yesterday.” He gets up and throws a couple bucks on the table.  
“No, no. Keep your money.” The Chief says and reaches out to hand the dollars back to Baekhyun. “You sure?” He asks, taking the money uncertainly.  
“Yeah, of course. It’s my treat for my little brother. It’ll be on you next time.” He laughs good-naturedly.  
I didn’t agree to that. Baekhyun thinks but smiles instead and takes his leave. 

Once inside his car and out of view of the Chief, he rings up Chanyeol. When the call is answered, all he can hear is loud panting and moans. “C-Chanyeol?” He calls out. He doesn’t know what’s happening.  
“Baek-Baekhyun….help...me.” A loud clash is heard on the line and then the call ends. With shaking fingers, Baekhyun calls again but it goes straight to voicemail.  
“Damn it!” He shouts and bangs his hands on his steering wheel.  
“What the fuck is going on?!” He shouts into the stillness of his car. 

 

///

 

 

A part of Chanyeol doesn’t want to leave Baekhyun as he makes ready to go meet up with the Chief. He feels as if it’s a bad idea because he knows the Chief will fill the man’s head with lies. But he has to trust Baekhyun. The guy’s no fool but desperation can make even the most wisest men fall. Still, there’s nothing he can do. He can’t tell Baekhyun not to go and he sure as hell cannot tag along. So he lets him go. 

This is Chanyeol’s mistake. 

He decides to drive out of town. A place marked on an old map shows some activity from the crucial years when citizens went missing from the town. Could this have something to do with it? He wonders as he travels further into a great forest. The road is long gone, patches of tar still left but most of the road is composed of rock, sand and weeds now. It’s about 15 miles to his destination. The air is extremely chilly on this side of town, unnaturally so, and it only serves to make Chanyeol more nervous the deeper he drives into the forest. 

He pulls up a few feet away from the mark on the map and walks the rest of the way. He stops suddenly when he comes to a massive clearing. The trees have all been cut down, leaving behind rotten stumps. And although the sunlight streaming through is more than enough to grow the plants and grass down on the ground, nothing is seen growing. The cropped circle is simply buried in dark, almost black looking sand instead. 

He walks around the place, keeping his eyes attentive on anything and everything and takes down notes on any questionable sightings. After about an hour of wandering around, he decides to make his way back to his car but as he’s walking out the clearing, something catches his eye. It’s a large grey stone out in the distant forest and it’s jutting out of the ground. Something about being in nature and seeing this thing tells Chanyeol that it shouldn’t be there; that it’s an anomaly. He steps towards it and crouches down to inspect it closely.

“Lee Jae-Rin. 1970-2007. Beloved Son. Respected Chief. May he rest in peace.” Chanyeol reads the tombstone out loud. “So he really is dead.” He thinks. The tombstone is not in great shape and the weeds growing alongside it make it look abandoned for longer than 10 years. “Does Ms Chaerin never come out here?” He questions. “This is her son’s tombstone after all.” 

As he stands up, something else catches his eye. He glances around and feels a slight nervousness at what he’s seeing. A couple feet away from the ex-Chief’s tombstone is another tombstone, and then another and then another. There must be at least fifty tombstones sticking out from the bush, but none of them have names or dates written on them. They are blank and of a cheaper material than the Chief’s. “But since when does the town have a makeshift graveyard out here in the forest?” 

He walks around, the quietness around him becoming too loud for him to bear. He notes that all the tombstones are the exact same; the exact same shape, the exact same color and the exact same weathered condition, as if they all had been planted at the same time. He also notes how the tombstones are placed strategically in a patterned formation.  
“These were definitely put here at the same time.” He thinks back to the history of the town. Never have there been more than two deaths at a time. How is it that there are now fifty tombstones here? He doesn’t even think fifty people have died in the whole history of Pearl River. 

A chill races up his spine and he feels as if he needs to bolt. He starts running towards his car but stops when he realizes it’s gone. “Shit!” He curses, remembering that he left the keys in the ignition. They must know he's here and have taken his sole mode of transport for whatever trick they have up their sleeve. So he doesn’t waste time; he needs to get back to where there are people. Running along the old road that leads out the forest, he searches frantically for any sign of another soul.  
And he doesn’t know if he should be relieved or not when he sees no one at all. 

He runs for what seems like ages. In the distance he can just start to see the peak of Ms Chaerin’s guest house and relaxes a bit, slowing down his pace. His heart is beating so fast and the blood is pumping in his ears. He would love to just fall and collapse on the ground. “Almost there.” He tells himself. 

But he doesn’t make it. A loud shot echoes in the air and birds from the nearby trees squawk out of fright and flutter away. Chanyeol yells out in pain as he sees blood gushing out his right thigh. Another shot and he feels a blinding pain in his upper right arm. He ducks down into the bush just as another shot is heard. He can hear the bullet ricochet off a rock not too far from his head. And then there’s silence. 

He tries to still his breathing but he can’t. The pain, the exhaustion, it’s all too much. He hears footsteps coming closer but he can’t see as his eyes cloud with red and black spots. He feels his consciousness slipping, slipping and then gone. 

“Lights out for you, little boy.” A raspy voice sounds out before another shot is heard. 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol wakes up and wishes he hadn’t. All of a sudden pain comes gushing through his body in unforgiving waves. It is almost unbearable but he notes that all his wounds are cleaned and bandaged up. The bullets, if any got lodged in his body, seem to have been taken out as well. He looks around but can’t see anything in the dark room save for trickles of light coming through peepholes in what seems to be a door. The air inside is dank and smells heavy of car fuel. 

“Shit!” He curses when he tries to stand and finds that he can’t. “Hey!” He shouts, hoping to get his captor’s attention. “Got any of them painkillers for me?” He is only met with silence. “I could really use some painkillers right now.” He mumbles under his breath. Chanyeol’s never been one for pain. In fact, he was always a wimp when it comes to it. A few days ago when he slammed his finger in the door, he thought he was going to die. But he’d take a bruised finger over bullets any day. 

His head jerks up when he hears shuffling coming towards the door and when it swings open, he is met with the barrel of a shotgun.  
“You sayin’ somethin’ boy?” Ms Chaerin asks in a haughty voice. Chanyeol remains silent.  
“Lost your tongue?” Ms Chaerin cackles, coming closer and Chanyeol tries to edge away from her. But she’s got the upper hand when she smashes the butt of the gun in his face. Chanyeol can’t defend himself except to hold his left arm up, covering as much skin as possible. He’s right arm is out of commission and his legs, though they pain, have turned to jelly. 

She continues to strike, like a puff adder on the attack and when she finishes, Chanyeol is a groaning and whimpering mess. Blood pools on the floor where he lays his head and he can feel his lips, cheek and an eye swelling up. The pain only hits him later though. 

“You gonna get what you deserve, you menacing idiot.” Ms Chaerin spits and heads out the door, leaving Chanyeol alone and scared. But his brain is working up ways to escape. There’s no way I’m dying in this shithole. He thinks. 

Just then, his phone vibrates. The knowledge that he’s still got his phone allows a small relief to wash over him. He immediately fumbles in his pants pocket but the strain from moving his aching limbs leaves him breathless.

“C-Chanyeol?” Comes Baekhyun’s voice like a voice from the heavens. It takes a while for Chanyeol to answer.  
“Baek-Baekhyun...help….me.” Before he or Baekhyun can say anything else, Ms Chaerin is back, almost throwing the door off its hinges. She grabs Chanyeol’s phone and smashes it to the ground. 

“Bad boys die.” Is all Chanyeol hears before he loses consciousness again. 

 

 

When Chanyeol awakes again he doesn’t feel pain but only discomfort. He immediately notices how fresh and crisp the air smells and knows he’s no longer locked in the room from before. But he can’t move his arms and legs and his head feels likes it’s about to burst from blood rush. So when he opens his eyes, he lets out a gasp when he notices he’s hanging upside down. He’s in the clearing in the forest but he’s not alone. Voices can he heard from somewhere behind him but in his dazed state, he can’t tell who they belong to. 

It is only when a face pops up in his vision does he try even harder to break free from the ropes binding his torso, arms and ankles.  
“Well, well. Look who’s awake. Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty. Your prince is looking for you.” Chief Jongin says with a crooked smile. The Chief motions to a lieutenant who kneels down below Chanyeol’s head and drops down what Chanyeol assumes are blocks of wood.  
“You’ve been searching for answers.” Jongin speaks. “And I’ve tried to get rid of you but you’re so damn stubborn, like a fucking cockroach.” He spits into Chanyeol’s face and the man can do nothing but let the slime ooze down towards his hair. “But I guess you deserve some sort of reward.” And here Jongin smiles but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes which seem so cold and heartless.  
“So, before you go up in flames,” And Chanyeol can hear a match strike from under his head. “I’ll let you in on a few secrets.” Jongin whispers in his ear. 

“Years ago, when I was merely an adult, a few townspeople came up with an idea to eliminate the threat of big state corporations wanting to tear the town down in order to make up big fancy shopping centers and hotels. You see, the townspeople just wanted to remain in the comfortable and familiarity that their tiny town offered. However, Chief Lee was for the idea of modernizing the town. So Ms Chaerin and a few others decided on drastic measures. But you figured it out, didn’t you, Chanyeol?” 

Chanyeol wants to hear the story but the rush of hot air below his head that tells that a flame has been lit makes him panic and thrash around though it is useless. His bounds are so secure, there’s no way he’s making it out on his own.  
Jongin continues. “The Chief and a few others, contractors for the new facilities to be built, owners of the shopping mall and hotels, and any locals in support of them, were brought here, tied and hung up from the trees, just like you are now. We lit fires underneath them and watched them go up in flames.” Jongin lets out a frighteningly hollow laugh. “It was glorious!” He exclaims. 

“But someone found out the truth and so we had to silence him. And it was so much fun beating his sorry ass to death. Watching his kid cry was pretty entertaining, too.” There’s a glare in Jongin’s eyes and Chanyeol thinks there’s nothing human about him. “But that kid grew up and started asking questions. You and your boyfriend have a lot in common, Park. You’re both so fucking stubborn, just cannot take no for an answer.” Chanyeol stops his thrashing about when he realizes the Chief is talking about Baekhyun. 

“I mean, do you have any idea of what it took to keep those stupid mother fucking cops quiet? I had to bribe every single one of ‘em to stop investigating his parents’ death. Oh, but that little shit just kept on at it and before I knew it, he’s here right in town, getting all cozy with you!” Jongin is shouting now, hysteria painting his features, turning him into a monster. 

“Well, no more! The road you’re on has reached a dead-end and guess who dies tonight? You!” As a bone-chilling laugh carries through the night air, Chanyeol feels the heat of the flames already starting to lick the ends of his hair. He tries to scream, tries to tilt his head away but nothing’s working. 

Oh please, God no. Please, please, don’t let me die here. 

 

///

 

 

Darkness. It’s damning. Hell doesn’t necessarily have to be flames and scorching. No, it can be darkness, too. And silence. When the noise in your head finally quiets down and your heart stops beating, when your body refuses to obey and you cannot scream or move but wait it out, this is when madness breaks out. It’s not that he wants this, he never asked for it; nonetheless, he cannot help it. His panic attack is a force to be reckoned with; his own personal hell. 

But he won’t give up. 

An orange glow in the distance speaks volumes. It tells that there are people there and with a town eerily quiet for no apparent reason, it’s the only way to go. 

When Baekhyun arrived back at Ms Chaerin’s, he ran straight to Chanyeol’s bedroom but found nothing there. Not even his luggage, not his clothes, not a single trace that he had been there. His phone doesn’t ring and Ms Chaerin herself is nowhere in sight. Baekhyun scopes around the surrounding bushes and finds nothing. And as night begins, he starts to panic. 

His panic attacks always come at the most inconvenient time. He knows this is an urgent situation; it could be life or death. He has to find Chanyeol, it’s the only way. But his breathing starts picking up unnaturally fast and his heart struggles to keep up. He cannot contain the way his chest heaves up and down, cannot stop the lightheadedness from invading him and when he collapses to the floor, he cannot help but lay there in a messy pile of limbs, waiting for his body to respond. 

But perhaps panic attacks are charitable in some sort of way because if it’s anything they offer, it’s control. As contradictory as it may seem, Baekhyun finds that in his motionless state, when his mind is in a frenzy, he is forced to stop and think. He won’t get anywhere running like a madman. He has to think before he acts. Where could they have taken Chanyeol? What did Chanyeol say earlier? He said he was going in the opposite direction of the town. Baekhyun thinks. The opposite direction being...the forest! He realizes that’s where his first lead is. 

Suddenly, he feels the claws around his chest loosen and he gets feeling back in his limbs. Though his body longs for sleep after such an exhausting ordeal, he knows he needs to move. 

He’s running towards the forest when his phone starts ringing. “Jongdae?” He says, not knowing whether he should answer the call or not. I can talk and run at the same time, he reasons so he answers the call.  
“Baekhyun!” Jongdae barks on the other line.  
“Hey, Jongdae. What’s up?” Baekhyun asks. He knows he sounds out of breath but his words are clear enough to be understood.  
“You need to get your ass out of that town, now!” Jongdae shouts urgently. His words definitely don’t help ease Baekhyun’s troubled mind.  
“I can’t.” He replies.  
“Why the fuck not?” He can hear the impatience in Jongdae’s tone but he can’t stop here. Chanyeol needs him.  
“Someone needs my help.” He responds.  
“That doesn’t matter. Baekhyun, I did some digging after I read through your parents’ case file. That Chief down there in Pearl River, that guy is all kinds of fucked up. Anyone who out found the truth about your parents’ death went missing. You’re playing with the devil. So before he does anything to you, get the fuck out.”  
“Jongdae, I need you to do me a favor. Check out a guy named Park Chanyeol. See what you can find about him and text me, don’t call. I gotta go.”  
“Baekhy-” He hears Jongdae but ends the call before he can continue. 

There’s a light coming a distance away. It’s between the trees and seems to be glowing. His leg muscles are crying from the strain and his lungs feel cold and hot at the same time. Gasping for air or not, he’ll force himself through the trees and into the heart of the forest. 

As he nears closer, he starts to hear the faint mumbling of distant voices. Gaining control over his panting and stepping slowly so as to avoid detection, he sneaks closer. He quickly lays his hand over his mouth to stifle an involuntary gasp when he sees Chanyeol strung up on a tree, hanging upside with a fire burning below his head. Chief Jongin is rambling hysterically and Baekhyun catches onto his words. That fucker! He thinks as Jongin talks carelessly about murdering his parents. Baekhyun quickly grabs his phone, turns on the camera and records. 

There are a few other cops around. Ms Chaerin is there, too, a shotgun in her hands. Chanyeol is thrashing madly about but he can’t avoid the flames rising higher and higher. And Chief Jongin is laughing, delirious with madness. He’s strutting about, telling Chanyeol secrets, not knowing Baekhyun is hiding in the bushes recording the whole scene. 

Suddenly Baekhyun’s phone vibrates with an incoming message. It’s from Jongdae and it’s information on Chanyeol. Baekhyun decides to check it out later, if he manages to get him and Chanyeol out of this situation alive, that is. So he continues to record. 

The flames are growing now, growing in heat intensity and height and the horrid smell of burnt hair smokes through the air.  
“Burn, you mother fucker, burn!” Jongin is screaming and pacing around as he’s overcome with excitement. But the other cops, as well as Ms Chaerin, look on with grave expressions. Baekhyun wipes the sweat from his brow. Think, man. Think. He needs to find a way to save Chanyeol. But what? How?

Time is against him and he’s not thought of a single idea yet. He quickly ends the video and sends it to Jongdae just in case he doesn’t get to later on. He types a short message, too. "Chief Jongin of Pearl River burning Park Chanyeol alive after he discovered the dark secrets of the town." He thinks it sounds more like a newspaper headline and wonders if Chanyeol, as a journalist, would be proud. Baekhyun moves from his spot, silently and stealthily, going towards the few kerosene lamps littered about. It’s the light that he saw earlier. Ever so slowly, he knocks one over, lays his jacket over the glass and smashes his foot against it. The paraffin leaks out and the flame immediately catches onto it. Soon, the surrounding grass is alight and Baekhyun moves onto the next. 

No one notices at first; all eyes are glued to Chanyeol and the noise from Jongin’s hysteria blocks out any noise Baekhyun makes. But in no time at all, the field starts burning with hungry flames and panic marks the cops’ faces. Ms Chaerin, upon noticing the fire, runs to Jongin and tugs his sleeve.  
“We’ve gotta get outta here!” She shouts. “Look!” And she points to the raging fire. The Chief stops his laughing and shouts for the cops to take off. He doesn’t even spare a glance at Chanyeol as he takes Ms Chaerin’s arm and pulls her roughly away from the clearing and out the forest. 

Baekhyun doesn’t waste time because Chanyeol’s hair has just caught alight and he’s screaming, though the sound is muffled by the gag in his mouth. Baekhyun runs over and drowns the fire with the sand in the clearing. Then taking his jacket and patting down the little flames flickering on Chanyeol’s hair. He reaches up and starts untying Chanyeol’s binds, fingers trembling from adrenaline and the rush of needing to get the fuck out before the surrounding fire engulfs them. 

Finally, Chanyeol breaks free. “Baekhyun!” He rasps and embraces the man, arms tightening around his waist and hugging tightly.  
“Chanyeol, we need to go.” Baekhyun says, voice urgent but Chanyeol doesn’t let go.  
“I thought I was going to die.” He says, his voice breaking on the last word and tears start streaming down his cheeks. Baekhyun hugs him back, just as tightly, for a second before pulling away.  
“Don’t think about it now. We need to go.” He reaches for Chanyeol’s hand and pulls him away, out the forest. 

Baekhyun left his car at Ms Chaerin’s and wonders if the others are there, too. He and Chanyeol need to remain alert as they sneak to the car and drive off silently. The last thing they need is for Jongin and his posse to come racing after them with sirens blasting and all. They manage to get to the car and slowly drive off. Baekhyun makes sure to keep his headlights off as they travel out the town. As soon as they pass the Welcome sign, he steps on the gas and speeds away, as if running for his life. 

 

 

They drive for hours. Chanyeol falls asleep after the three hour mark and Baekhyun, still riding the waves of adrenaline, keeps an eye on any suspicious cars that might be following them. The damage to Chanyeol’s hair is not too bad, just a little bit of styling and one won’t be able to see the scorched strands. But the bruising and swelling on his face is a different story. There’s dried blood crusting on his lips, his left eye and his temple. He’s a pufferfish personified and Baekhyun can only imagine what the rest of his body must look like. 

They stop at a town called Pine Haven and book into a motel. Baekhyun has to practically carry Chanyeol inside their room and dump him on the bed. Then Baekhyun thinks back to Chief Jongin. There’s a chance he might search for them, visiting nearby towns, checking motels. Baekhyun had gone in the opposite direction of which he first came, hoping it might throw the psychopath and his gang off their trail. Time will only tell if he made the right choice. Of course, he could keep driving, but Chanyeol’s in no condition to continue without proper rest and besides, Baekhyun is just as exhausted. 

While Chanyeol’s out cold, Baekhyun decides to clean him up and apply ointment to his wounds. Fortunately, the motel manager had a handy first aid kit. He peels Chanyeol’s shirt off, all sticky from sweat, and tugs his pants down. He winces when he sees the angry bruising on various parts of his body. Once he is all set, Baekhyun pulls the covers over both him and Chanyeol and closes his eyes, finally giving in to sleep. 

 

 

They must have slept for hours, Baekhyun thinks as he wakes up and feels the dead weight of his limbs slowly come alive from a deep sleep. But his stomach is uncomfortable with hunger and he knows he has to eat. Outside the sun is getting ready to pack it in for the day and so far, everything seems just fine. Beside him, Chanyeol stirs awake. 

“Hey.” He whispers when he sees Baekhyun staring at him. The swelling and bruising on his face has decreased significantly and it makes Baekhyun smile out of relief.  
“Hey yourself.” He greets back. They stare at each other in a comfortable silence, both realizing how close they were to death the night before and that they’ve managed to escape to safety. Both are happy and warm, pain-free and at peace, for the first time in a long while.  
Chanyeol leans in and brushes his lips against Baekhyun’s, humming in delight at the sweetness of his lips. Baekhyun smiles again and wraps his arms around Chanyeol’s neck, bringing them closer but reminding himself to be careful of Chanyeol’s wounds. He never wants to let this man go. They kiss more, soft and gentle, slow and patient. Chanyeol trails his hand on the side of Baekhyun’s torso, moving the hem of his shirt away so that he can graze his digits on his soft silky skin. Baekhyun gleefully hums at the contact and pulls closer to Chanyeol, their bodies plastered against each other. Their kisses become rougher and more urgent, more deeper and passionate and they quickly fall into the throes of passion. 

Chanyeol shifts Baekhyun’s shirt up higher, his eyes searching Baekhyun’s in a silent request to take it off completely. He’s met with a beaming smile and an amused Baekhyun who nods his consent. His shirt is peeled off, along with his pants, and thrown across the room somewhere and Baekhyun does the same to Chanyeol. Soon, naked bodies meet and they bask in the warmth emanating from each other. Baekhyun settles himself on top of Chanyeol, keeping his lips firmly planted on him and grins when he feels Chanyeol’s hardness underneath him. He burrows his hips down to cause more friction and delights in the moan that comes spilling out Chanyeol’s mouth. But in no time at all, Baekhyun swallows up the sound as he deepens their kiss, licking into the man’s heat and relishing at how delicious Chanyeol tastes as he licks along his teeth and further inside, meeting and coaxing at his tongue. He sucks Chanyeol’s tongue into his mouth, loving the trails of spit tracking around their lips. And all the while he is aware of the tightness coiling in his belly, calling out for more.

The sun is slowly moving down towards the horizon and streaks of orange and red hues make their way through the room. It looks a little like heaven when the two bodies on the bed glow from the light. Baekhyun takes a long hard look at Chanyeol and marvels at the tiny flecks of dust floating in the light around them, like something magical. He tickles his fingers down Chanyeol’s torso, past his belly button and abdomen and sneaks them around Chanyeol’s length which he notes is already hard and slick.  
Chanyeol cannot help but shiver at the feeling of the man’s slender fingers wrapping around his length and when Baekhyun gently tugs at his flesh, he murmurs words of delight. He wants to claw at Baekhyun’s back when he starts pumping faster and harder. He wants to scream with pleasure when Baekhyun runs his thumb over his slit. He wants to revel in the heat coiling down south and let loose from any restrictions holding him back. But what he does is pull Baekhyun down into a heat searing kiss and unintentionally ruts up, brushing his length along Baekhyun’s thighs and along his ass. 

When Baekhyun starts giggling, Chanyeol asks what he thinks is so funny.  
“I don’t suppose you have a handy bottle of lube on you?” Chanyeol quirks his eyebrows and wheezes. “So how do you want to do this then?” He asks.  
“I guess good ol’ fashioned spit will have to do.” Baekhyun replies as he pats his fingers against Chanyeol’s lips. Chanyeol engulfs the slim digits in his mouth, running his tongue along every inch of skin he can reach and when Baekhyun thinks it’s enough, he pulls out and directs his hand to his backside. 

“I don’t mind, you know.” Chanyeol speaks up. He doesn’t mind Baekhyun coming in him or him in Baekhyun. For him, it’s all the same. As long as he can feel the man with him in some way or another, he’s happy with whatever.  
“I don’t either. But I think it’s best this way.” He says as he starts pushing his fingers inside himself one by one. “You’re in no position to move much and I don’t want you to be in any more pain than you already are.” His rasps and moans echo in the room as he inserts another finger and then another. His body writhing on top of Chanyeol’s is an incredible sight to see and Chanyeol thinks he’s never gotten so hard from merely watching someone as he is right now.

When Baekhyun deems himself ready, he moves down till Chanyeol’s erection is before his lips and before Chanyeol even knows what’s going on, Baekhyun stretches his lips around the hardening length and starts bobbing his head along Chanyeol’s shaft. He moves slowly at first, tasting and feeling Chanyeol as much as he can and paying attention to the particular spots that send Chanyeol shivering in delight. He can feel the length thickening in his mouth, veins protruding and growing harder. He realizes he quite likes the feel of the velvety skin dragging against his lips and he absolutely loves the musky taste on his tongue. He slicks up Chanyeol’s erection nice and wet and when he lifts his head up again, he melts at the reddened cheeks and glassy-eyed man before him who seems totally lost in a blissful paradise. “Ready?” he asks and when Chanyeol gives a quick nod, Baekhyun positions himself on top, guiding Chanyeol inside him. Chanyeol whines at the sensation. He feels the tightness encircling round him and doesn’t think he can last very long like this. Baekhyun feels impossibly full and fuck! It feels so fucking good! 

They find a steady rhythm, Baekhyun lifting himself up slowly and then sinking down, careful not to aggravate any of Chanyeol’s injuries or wear them both out too fast. It’s also been a while since he’s had any cock up his ass so he thinks it’s best to take things slow. As he stares at Baekhyun, Chanyeol cannot help but be enraptured by this marvelous creature. Baekhyun’s porcelain skin shines in the sunlight. He red swollen lips spill moans and pants each time he descends on Chanyeol’s erection. His black hair becomes sweaty and juts out in all directions. Chanyeol shuts his eyes and his arms reach up to wrap around Baekhyun’s waist, bringing them closer together. He breathes in the piney scent flowering from his skin and licks along Baekhyun’s neck to taste that sweet saltiness from his sweat. 

“Ch-Chanyeol,” Baekhyun stutters. “L-lay down. You’re going to h-hurt yourself.” But Chanyeol shakes his head no. If he has to lean up a little in order to feel more of the man on top of him then he’ll do that. He does feel a bit of pain from the gunshots his body is desperately trying to heal but it’s not too bad. He can sit up a little like this. So Baekhyun relents and rather focuses on the heaviness of Chanyeol pumping inside of him. It’s like his body comes alive somehow and he’s on cloud nine. He loves the heat around them, the feel of Chanyeol’s body against his own, sweaty skin on sweaty skin. He loves how Chanyeol’s length slides in and out at a quickening pace, hitting back inside him harder each time. He feels his muscles tense up and yet turn to jelly simultaneously. It’s a wonderful feeling! 

Underneath him, Chanyeol’s moans become louder as he strains his body with rigorous hip thrusts, which Baekhyun is quite enjoying. He cannot keep his eyes off Baekhyun, of this gorgeous man he’s lucky to have met. He hisses when he feels a pull in his lower groin that lets him know he is close so he starts snapping his hips up erratically and feasts in the loud gasps spilling from Baekhyun’s pretty wet lips right into his ears. His arms tighten around Baekhyun and he kisses along his neck, sucking his skin and leaving tiny splotches of red scattered about. He roams his hands along Baekhyun’s broad back, squeezing along muscle and then trailing down further south to grab at his ass cheeks, delicately molding the soft plump flesh in his hands. 

“Is it good?” He whispers but Baekhyun can’t form a coherent answer. He just hums out and bops his head up and down before burying his face in the crook of Chanyeol’s shoulder. They slow down, taking their time in order to draw out the moment for as long as they can. Chanyeol pulls away a little and reaches his hand to grip around Baekhyun’s erection, so thick and tender. When he jerks him off slowly, Baekhyun leans back on his hands, swiveling his hips around Chanyeol’s length. Tingles run through his body when his nerves are brought to life because of Chanyeol’s hand massaging his cock so thoroughly and he can’t help it when his body convulses, jerking his hips while riding towards his climax. He groans out loud, hardly caring for who might hear him in the next room. 

“Oh, shit! Fuck! Chanyeol, you feel so fucking good!” Chanyeol lays back down, increasing his ministrations on Baekhyun’s hardness while shifting his hips up, knocking the air out of Baekhyun’s lungs in the process. Chanyeol doesn’t think sex has ever felt so good. Perhaps it is the combination of adrenaline from running for his life and the pure unadulterated attraction he feels towards Baekhyun. Right now, all he wants is to bask is this mind-numbing pleasure and seek absolution. It’s not too much to ask, right? Not when Baekhyun wants the same. 

The night wears on, the room drowning in the sounds of incessant squeaks from the bed and the occasional moans from the two bodies making love to each other. For just one night, they lose themselves in pleasure and warmth. Neither two realize this is what they’ve been craving for for a very long time, for the entire time they’ve survived in a brutal cold world. Baekhyun is eternally grateful that for at least this once, he doesn't have to pretend to be loved or appreciated. He feels it completely.  
Eventually their orgasms come teetering them to the edge. Baekhyun cries out when he shoots his load across Chanyeol’s chest and hums in satisfaction when he feels Chanyeol come inside him. They are both exhausted but sated and feeling giddy from their high. They laugh as they untangle themselves and try catch their breath.

The sun finally sets as they lay side by side, chests heaving and joyous smiles etching across their faces.  
“Fucking amazing!” Baekhyun lets out, twirling his fingers around Chanyeol’s own.  
“Yeah, you-you’re beautiful.” Chanyeol whispers and Baekhyun turns to face him.The shadows from the setting sun leave a dusky glow on Chanyeol’s handsome face. He looks almost angelic with the light radiating from his body and Baekhyun feels his heart beat a little faster at the sight.  
“No, Chanyeol. You are.” He says.

 

 

Chanyeol falls asleep after he and Baekhyun demolish their greasy burgers and fries, the only edible food within a mile radius. His sleep is tainted by images of flames- flames of anger, flames of destruction and flames of love. He dreams of being back in the forest, a burning haze surrounding him while he and Baekhyun make sweet love. 

Baekhyun, on the other hand, cannot sleep. He sits awake, staring mindlessly at the tv, wondering what his next move is. His phone is plagued with hundreds of calls and messages from Jongdae and he feels a little guilty for not contacting him earlier to let him know he’s okay. But then he remembers the text Jongdae sent him about Chanyeol so he scrolls to the beginning and starts to read. 

As if someone threw cold water over him, he gets the fright of his life when he reads the contents of the message. His mind is wrought with frenzy and oh, there it is again! He feels the first tight pulls of his panic attack approaching fast. 

A part of Baekhyun feels like a weakling; whenever he falls under the slightest bit of stress, he’s threatened by a panic attack. He feels incompetent and useless, knowing there’s not much he can do about these episodes save for mind-numbing medication. As he sits in bed, clutching his chest and trying to regain control over his breathing, he feels all these emotions, thinks all these thoughts and realizes how utterly powerless he is.

Suddenly there are a pair of warm arms caging him and drawing him closer to Chanyeol’s chest. Baekhyun immediately feels lighter, as if he’s free falling without a care in the world. The coldness in his chest starts receding, pushed away by Chanyeol’s warmth and his heart starts slowing down. He wonders why he feels like this with Chanyeol. He shouldn’t be relaxing in his arms; he should be angry with him, royally pissed off but instead, they continue to sit like this for a while, neither man saying a word. Baekhyun’s eyes eventually begin to flutter closed and his body becomes lax. Lying snuggly in Chanyeol’s embrace, he’s never felt more secure. 

 

 

It’s morning when he opens his eyes again and immediately, he remembers the message. He bolts up and searches the room. He notices his phone lying on the bedside table and no Chanyeol in sight. Baekhyun wonders if the man ditched him in the night. He receives his answer soon enough when the motel door swings open and Chanyeol waltzes in, arms full of snacks and clothes. Baekhyun notes the new shirt and shorts Chanyeol’s wearing, as well as the snapback with the words Go Raiders! printed on the side. He raises his eyebrows in surprise. 

“You went shopping?” He asks as Chanyeol drops everything onto the bed.  
“Yeah. Figured you and I both need new clothes, ‘cos you know, we left all our bags back at Pearl River. And I’ve got junk food. Stressful situations always call for junk food.” He finishes with a smile  
“Look, Chanyeol. We need to talk.” Baekhyun’s in no laughing mood. He wants to get down to the truth. “I trust you, Chanyeol. You should know that.” He says.  
“I trust you too, Baekhyun.” The taller replies, face suddenly looking very concerned towards a stoic Baekhyun.  
“I asked a cop friend of mine to check into you. He sent me a message yesterday during our great escape and I only read it last night.” He takes out his phone and opens up to the message, passing the phone over to Chanyeol. 

He reads it and his eyes widen slightly, but otherwise, there’s no real hint of surprise.  
“It’s true.” He simply says and Baekhyun nods solemnly.  
“At least you’re not lying.” He responds. Chanyeol draws closer and sits next to him.  
“I never lied to you. I just didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d judge me. That’s what everyone in my life has done. Judge me.” His eyes are cast down and a frown tugs the corner of his lips. Baekhyun thinks for a moment and then he brushes his hand through Chanyeol’s hair.  
“I know what it’s like to be judged.” He says, thinking back on all those who called him a lunatic. “I guess we have a lot more in common than I originally thought.” Baekhyun says with a small smile.  
“You had no idea.” Chanyeol chuckles out.  
“So, what’s your deal then?” There’s a silence in the room for a few minutes and then Chanyeol begins. 

“My father was one of the men who killed your parents, which you now know from that message. He got caught and is now serving life. The thing is though, he was always the kindest and most gentle person I ever knew. Everyone who knew him was so shocked at the revelation that he murdered two people. And me, myself, I just could never believe it. So I started digging around. I’m pretty sure Kim Jongin coerced him into it, maybe by threatening my and my mother’s lives, I don’t know. But my dad, he just, he would never do something like that unless he was forced to.” As Chanyeol tells his story, Baekhyun thinks back at the cops who were ordered around by Chief Jongin while they were trying to burn up Chanyeol. Perhaps Chanyeol’s father had been like them. 

“Maybe Jongin just has a way of controlling people. Or maybe he had something on your dad.” Baekhyun offers as an explanation.  
“Maybe. Jongin definitely has power and control. But that usually comes with some sort of threat. I’ve known him long enough to know that.” Chanyeol says and then it’s quiet in the room again.  
“So what exactly have you been investigating?” Baekhyun asks.  
“Pearl River, suspicious happenings, your parents’ murder and others. Yes, I knew who you were when we first met. I knew what happened to your parents, and though I didn’t know for sure, I had a sneaky suspicion you were actually going to Pearl River. Not that I followed you or anything; I was going there myself. Do you understand why I never told you any of this?” He asks. 

Baekhyun nods his head. Yes, he does understand and now that he’s gotten closer to Chanyeol, he not only understands his reasoning but he can feel his heart, too. Chanyeol is just like him.  
“Yeah, I do.” He responds. Chanyeol offers him a small smile. “I’m glad you do because I really like you, Baekhyun.” He leans in and kisses the man softly. “I like you too, Chanyeol.” 

“But your dad, I read his case file. There were numerous accounts of assault and whatever else, I can’t remember.” Baekhyun states, trying to think up the details in the folder he no longer has.  
“It’s all false. You gotta believe me. Jongin’s got contacts in the force, they made all that shit up. My dad’s record was squeaky clean before that night.” Chanyeol pleads though he knows there’s no actual way of proving this. “Jongin’s roaches are everywhere.” He sighs in defeat. 

“That may be true but I know at least one guy who’s not under his influence.” Baekhyun says with a spark in his eyes.  
“Who?” Chanyeol asks, curious. 

 

 

“Jongdae, please! I’m begging ya.” Baekhyun’s whines echo through the phone and he can almost picture Jongdae rubbing at his temples.  
“Baekhyun, what you’re asking is preposterous!” The lieutenant barks out. “But,” he says more calmly now and Baekhyun listens intently. “After I watched that video you sent, along with the info I found out, well, I’m willing to give you a hand, any which way I can.” Baekhyun is in stunned silence. He thought he would have to beg and plead, perhaps actually go through a one-night stand this time, but nope! Jongdae’s already on board.  
“Great!” He smiles and gives a thumbs up to Chanyeol who smiles in return. “So, do you have any ideas on how to catch the bastard out? No doubt your Sheriff is under his spell, too.” Jongdae hums in thought for a while. “About the Sheriff, I think he will actually be relieved to know Jongin’s behind bars. Call it a hunch, but that guy has something on the Sheriff and I think any chance to silence him, the Sheriff will take it. I just gotta make sure, though. How long can you give me? I mean, are you safe where you are?” He asks and Baekhyun thinks about their location.  
“I suppose we could drive to another town further away, just in case. Take as long as you need. If we do this, we gotta do it properly.”  
“Gotcha. Let me know where you are and keep in contact. I’ll do the same. As soon as everything’s set on my side, I’ll let you know when to act.”  
They end the call and Baekhyun feels a familiar surge of adrenaline rushing through his bones. Finally, he’s getting the justice he needs.  
He turns to Chanyeol. “So, lover boy. Ready for a fight with the infamous Kim Jongin?” He grins and is met with lips on his, a chuckling Chanyeol pulling him back to bed. 

 

///

 

 

 

PEARL RIVER CASE FILE

RECORDED INTERVIEW

Date: 10/11/2017  
Duration: 12 minutes  
Location: West County, Headquarters  
No. of Pages: 2

Conducted by Detective Oh from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, West County.

Detective Oh: Explain to me, in order of events, what exactly transpired leading up to that night.

Lt Kim Jongdae: I got a call from Byun Baekhyun, a close friend of mine. He was in Pearl River at the time-

Detective Oh: Why was he in Pearl River?

Lt Kim Jongdae: He was searching for answers, for his parents’ killers. He was convinced three people murdered his parents. He believed Pearl River was where he needed to go.

Detective Oh: And was it not you who provided Mr Byun with a copy of his parents’ case file...without authorization?

Lt Kim Jongdae: Yes, Sir. It was me and I take full responsibility for that. 

Detective Oh: You do realize that means your badge and gun, right? 

Lt Kim Jongdae: Yes, Sir. I do realize that.

Detective Oh: You do. So, why put your career on the line for someone like Mr Byun?

*sigh

Lt Kim Jongdae: He was my friend. And besides, my parents were a victim of crime, too. I knew what it felt to lose loved ones and grow up alone. I just wanted to help him. And I believed I was the only one who could. 

Detective Oh: So you gave him the copies. Then what?

Lt Kim Jongdae: Then I proceeded to do some digging of my own. The case interested me too much, and as a cop, I felt as if the cops working on that case hadn’t done their jobs properly. There were just too many loose strings and inconsistencies. 

Detective Oh: What did you discover?

Lt Kim Jongdae: Truths about Pearl River and more specifically, their acting Chief in Command, Kim Jongin. 

Detective Oh: Where did your “digging” lead you?

Lt Kim Jongdae: Records showed meetings and telephone calls between the Sheriff and Chief Jongin...unofficial records. And they were buried deep, as if no one was supposed to find them. When I questioned the Sheriff about it, he was very defensive. His attitude was so off-putting that it only egged me on. I went back to transcripts between witnesses and found many contradictory statements, as well. Witnesses saw three people fleeing the scene of the crime that night, just like Mr Byun claimed, but police were adamant that it was only one person. Records also proved that no real investigation had been done and that the suspect, Mr Park Youngjae, who is now serving life, was handed over by Chief Jongin with no evidence that he in fact had committed the crime. But he was arrested and sentenced anyway and straight after that, the case was never touched again.

Detective Oh: What was your next move?

Lt Kim Jongdae: I looked into Chief Jongin. It wasn’t easy. I had to go through back channels and talk to people who were terrified to say anything. I was lucky though, when I spoke to a woman who knew him from Pearl River, before he became Chief. Another woman then confirmed her statement. The things I heard...they were so disturbing. So I looked into the history of Pearl River and suddenly, everything made sense. 

Detective Oh: What happened the night of the fire?

Lt Kim Jongdae: After I managed to rally up forces who could help us take Chief Jongin into custody, I met with Byun Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol just outside Pearl River. We wanted to take him in peacefully but when Chief Jongin realized he was being cornered, he retaliated. 

Detective Oh: And you didn’t expect that?

Lt Kim Jongdae: From a psychopath like him? Of course, I did.

Detective Oh: But your actions showed a lack of resolve. You know two people died that night, right?

Lt Kim Jongdae: Yes. I...am...aware. No need to remind me. What I decided to do had a different outcome than intended. Chief Jongin had a few tricks up his sleeve. He was prepared for when Mr Byun and Mr Park returned to Pearl River. 

Detective Oh: How did the fire break out?

Lt Kim Jongdae: It was one of Chief Jongin’s lieutenants. I don’t know if he started the fire out of impulse or if he was ordered to do so, but while we were busy with our stand-off at the edge of town, this lieutenant gouged the police department with fuel and then lit a match. 

Detective Oh: How do you know it was him?

Lt Kim Jongdae: We saw him. He wasn’t only lighting up the police department, but all the buildings on the main road in Pearl River. And he was coming closer to us, too. We started to flee when he doused a cop car and lit it up. 

Detective Oh: What happened to Chief Kim Jongin and Ms Lee Chaerin?

*sigh

Lt Kim Jongdae: Chief Jongin ran to attack Baekhyun but Chanyeol got to him first. They were fighting and moving nearer and nearer towards the flames. Baekhyun was screaming for Chanyeol to stop, and he tried to, but Chief Jongin was dragging him to the flames. 

Detective Oh: What happened next? 

Lt Kim Jongdae: Baekhyun ran towards them and started attacking Chief Jongin so that Chanyeol would be free. But Baekhyun... It was nothing for Chief Jongin to pick him up and throw him in the flames. Chanyeol went off his head and ran straight for Chief Jongin but the Sheriff stopped him, saying he’d take care of it and that he should help Baekhyun who was by now screaming from the pain of the fire. So Chanyeol ran to Baekhyun, got him out and I grabbed the fire extinguisher from my car. That’s when I heard it. I heard the shot.  
When I looked towards the sound, I saw the Sheriff pointing his gun straight ahead and Chief Jongin was lying dead on the ground. The Sheriff shot him point black in the head. The Chief’s eyes… they were still open. Then Ms Chaerin...she just lost it. She grabbed a gun from one of Chief Jongin’s lieutenants and…shot herself...in the head.

Detective Oh: That’s all for now, Lieutenant Kim. Please be available for further questioning if need be. 

END TRANSCRIPT

 

 

 

“What’s going to happen now?” Chanyeol asks as the incessant BEEP....BEEP...BEEP from the heart monitoring machine echoes through the otherwise silent room.  
“I don’t know. I’ve still got my job, god knows how and the Sheriff’s been taken in for questioning. They’ll probably re-interview your dad again. Maybe this time he’ll actually speak without the threat of Kim Jongin looming over him." Jongdae says as he sits on the edge of the hospital bed. His expression is one of exhaustion and despair. His eyes appear sunken in and his cheeks are hollow. Across the room, Chanyeol doesn’t appear in much better condition. 

“Why won’t he wake up?” Chanyeol asks, his voice breaking and his eyes watering up. He doesn’t remove his gaze from the sleeping form on the bed; the sleeping form that is the love of his life, he has come to realize.  
“I don’t know, Chanyeol. Maybe his body is just too exhausted and it’s shut down temporarily so that it can recover. Don’t look at this as a bad thing. He’s not dead and his body is fighting to survive. As long as he’s surviving, that’s all that matters. Let him take his time. But don’t leave him.” Jongdae responds gently and gets up from the bed. He places a reassuring hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder and squeezes lightly.  
“I won’t leave him.” Chanyeol whispers as Jongdae takes his leave. 

The night air is cold and Chanyeol desperately wishes for a cigarette, even though he doesn’t smoke and never has. The atmosphere just seems fitting. Standing on the balcony of Baekhyun’s hospital room, he looks absently at the sparkling lights of the city and wonders if he could take in such a view with Baekhyun by his side one day because lord knows how lonely this sight is right now. 

It all happened so fast since he met Baekhyun, yet it seems like a lifetime ago as well. In a matter of weeks, everything he’s lived for, searched for, has come to an end. But he wouldn’t feel empty if he could just have Baekhyun awake and alive by his side. He knows he’ll be okay then. So he stays in the hospital room, whether it’s visiting hours or not. The City Mayor has rewarded Chanyeol and Baekhyun compensation for the crimes committed by law enforcement officers against them. They’ve got enough to start new lives wherever they want. And that’s what Chanyeol wants, a life with Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun is recovering from a range of first degree to second degree burns. The worst are on his calves with some mild damage to his torso and hands. The doctors are not concerned with the burns; they’ve been treated and an eye is being kept on them for any sign of infection. Rather, doctors have told Chanyeol that Baekhyun’s unconscious state has more to do with mental exhaustion, combined with physical shock. They are not too worried that Baekhyun won’t wake up because he’s physically healthy; they’re just waiting for his mind to catch up with his body. Besides from some scarring from the more harsher burns, there’s no reason for Baekhyun not to be up and about in just a few weeks. 

 

 

It’s about four in the morning, there’s a light rain pattering on the hospital windows and the monotonous beeping from the heart monitor has lulled Chanyeol into a deep sleep, his hand holding Baekhyun’s gently. He’s the only one asleep in the room, though. The only other person lays wide awake in bed, staring at the taller and chuckling at the drool seeping down his mouth. 

“Hey, lover boy. Wakey wakey.” He says softly, voice too hoarse to speak louder. Chanyeol doesn’t budge though, so Baekhyun squeezes his hand instead. That seems to do the trick as immediately, Chanyeol springs up, eyes searching frantically for Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun can’t help but giggle at the reaction but he stops when he notices tears pooling in the corners of Chanyeol’s eyes. Chanyeol’s bottom lip is quivering and his brows are furrowed. He stares at Baekhyun as if he’s never seen him before and can’t take his eyes off him. Baekhyun opens his arms and Chanyeol comes crashing into him, laying his head on Baekhyun’s chest and sobbing fat tears and snot all over his hospital gown. 

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here.” Baekhyun says gently, rocking slightly from side to side. “Let it all out, big baby.” He teases softly and Chanyeol does, his cries echoing in the room, soon replacing the constant BEEP BEEP BEEP. He cries and clutches Baekhyun for what seems like hours and Baekhyun patiently waits. When the nurse comes in, she peels Chanyeol off Baekhyun and checks her patient’s vitals, asking him a series of questions such as pain rating, if he remembers what happened and what his name is. He makes a joke saying he doesn’t know who the big baby in the room is but quickly says he’s kidding when he sees how wide Chanyeol’s eyes grow, tears threatening to spill out again. 

“I thought you would never wake up.” Chanyeol whispers in a meek voice once the nurse leaves the room, satisfied with her examination.  
“I could never leave you, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun replies and offers him a small smile. “In fact, I feel pretty bad for you now.” He says.  
Chanyeol cocks his head to the side in confusion. “What d’you mean?” He asks.  
“You’re stuck with me now, whether you want to or not. Poor, you!” He laughs but Chanyeol’s face remains stoic.  
“I could never not want to be with you, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol says seriously.  
“It’s a joke, Chanyeol. Lighten up, would ya?” Baekhyun lets out a small pout and crosses his arms. But soon he looks back at Chanyeol and smiles. The atmosphere changes in the room and the two men start giggling like little schoolgirls. Chanyeol informs Baekhyun of what happened after he was pulled out the fire and looks at the man’s bandages in concern. 

“I’m fine, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun whines. “Look,” He says and he lifts his arms up above his head, then twists his torso slightly to each side, then lifts his legs and wiggles his toes. “I can move. No damage done.” He finishes with a grin.  
“B-but your burns.. the scars..” Chanyeol says remorsefully.  
“The skin will heal. Maybe I won’t be model material like before,” He winks. “but as long as it doesn’t cause me pain, I don’t really care if it scars up or not. Unless...unless it bothers you?” He finishes with a whisper.  
“Bothers me?!” Chanyeol exclaims. “No way. I mean, you’re pretty hot shit, Baekhyun. You’ll always be. But I love you regardless of physical deformities.”  
Baekhyun stares at Chanyeol for a while, not saying anything and it makes the taller feel a bit uncomfortable so he asks; “W-what?”  
“You....love me?” Baekhyun asks and Chanyeol seems surprised for a moment but then his expression melts into a lovestruck gaze as he stares back at Baekhyun and gently grabs hold of his hand.  
“Yes, I do.” He whispers but his voice doesn’t shake or sound uncertain in any way whatsoever.  
“I love you, too.” Baekhyun replies. They stare at each other in a comfortable silence before Chanyeol moves closer and plants a kiss on Baekhyun’s lips. 

“So, Byun Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol, free from the tyrannical Kim Jongin. They can go anywhere they want, do anything they want. So what will you choose?” Chanyeol says and kisses Baekhyun’s cheek.  
“Anywhere. Anything. As long as I’m with you, I couldn’t care less.” Baekhyun tugs at Chanyeol’s collar and kisses him again, allowing their lingering touches to paint his features in a faint pink glow. 

Their lives were turned upside down when one event took away from them the people they cherished most and left them in a world of coldness and loneliness. They were shunned by those who were meant to help protect them, keep them safe. They searched for answers and found a killer. They waged a war and came out the other side alive. And now, they found love, a concept they never thought they’d experience. 

Life is full of surprises, but through good and bad, what matters is your own conviction, your courage and loyalty to justice. A rocky path can lead you to the most beautiful sights, and the smoothest road can bring you to a dead-end. You never know what lies ahead until you get there. And until you get there, don’t stop walking. Everything is going to be fine in the end. If it’s not fine, it’s not the end.

 

///

 

 

EPILOGUE

 

If by some chance your life could change, and you could decide anywhere you want to go to and do whatever you want to do, what would you decide? Would you even decide at all? If you had the chance to change, would you? Problems, adventures, family, friends, lovers, mistakes...they all shape us into who we are and where we go. Truth is, we don’t have much choice when it comes to our lives, but that little bit of control we have makes the biggest difference…

 

“Can you please step away from your laptop and give your husband some attention? Pretty please with cherries on top?”  
“Mmm, it depends on what cherries.” He winks unabashedly at the man lying stretched out, starfish style, on the bed.  
“Ugh, don’t be vulgar. My head hurts and I just need you to hold me.”  
“You always get so clingy when you’re not feeling well. Does baby need his daddy?” The man laughs into the otherwise empty bedroom, his voice echoing off the vacant walls.  
“We really need to decorate this place some time.”  
“Hey, don’t change the subject. Did you take something for your head?”  
“Yeah, but it’s not working. I think I just need some sleep.”  
“I’m not surprised. Your radio show is picking up pretty rapidly and newspapers are still hounding you for interviews. Geez, you’re like a celebrity or something!”  
“I’d rather not be a celebrity. What are you writing anyway?”  
“I’ll read it to you. If by some chance your life could change and you could decide anywhere you want to go to and do whatever you want to do….”

 

Once Baekhyun is done reading the latest for his online blog forum to Chanyeol, he shuts the laptop and crawls to bed, lying next to the taller. The humid air makes it a little hard to breathe and the shower they just took feels useless as they already feel their clothes sticking to their bodies with sweat. But they love the coast and its bustling city; such a contrast to the hidden little towns they are familiar with. 

“I can’t stand this. Let’s just sleep naked.” Baekhyun complains as he starts peeling off his shirt, sweat stains already forming under his armpits and down his back.  
“Do what you want. I won’t complain.” And Chanyeol doesn’t. For the past seven years, he’s had the pleasure of waking up to Baekhyun every morning. He’d do anything for the man. And while Baekhyun is mostly the sole inhabitant of his thoughts, lately he finds himself occupied by another man.  
“Why so quiet, my super sculpted, well-toned husband?” Baekhyun asks as he watches Chanyeol travel mentally to a far- off place.  
“My dad. I’ve been thinking a lot about him lately. He gets out tomorrow and I’m just so damn nervous.”  
“Yeah, I’d be too. But you are...happy about this, yeah?” Baekhyun asks hesitantly.  
“Of course!” Chanyeol exclaims. “I just don’t know how we’ll pick up from where we left off. It’s gonna be so awkward. So much of the world has changed since he was first arrested. I’m gonna have to help him adjust and I don’t know how.” He vents his frustrations.  
“It’s not like he’s been living on a deserted island, Chanyeol. He’s been clued-up on worldly developments. C’mon, tell me what’s really stressing you out.” Baekhyun urges him on. 

Baekhyun lays propped up on his elbow, slowly rubbing nonsensical circles along Chanyeol’s arm. He found this neat trick a few years ago, when he had another one of his joyous panic attacks. Chanyeol had taken his hand and started drawing senseless shapes along his palm with his finger. The sensation tickled him a bit, but once he got used to it, it became soothing and lulled him to sleep in no time. Now Chanyeol does it just because. And Baekhyun does it to Chanyeol in return because it’s his own little way of showing that he’s always thinking about the man and truly cares for him. 

“He’s just been through so much.” Chanyeol begins. “I don’t know what I would have done if I were in his situation all those years ago.”  
“You know, I think about it a lot.” Baekhyun says, tickling Chanyeol’s neck and moving down towards his collarbones. “What if it was my dad Jongin threatened that night? What if Jongin promised to go after me and my mom instead of you and what would have happened if my dad didn’t play a role in Jongin’s little game? Would my dad have done the same thing your dad did? He might have.”  
“So, you don’t blame my dad at all? Baek, you know Jongin lied to him, right? Jongin said they were just going to talk with your dad not torture you. He didn’t know murder was on the menu that night. My dad knew nothing about that plan.” Chanyeol looks up at his husband, his eyes wide and shining bright.  
“I know, Yeol. I heard your dad’s confession after he found out Jongin was dead. I do believe him. The fact that Jongin even lied about being my half-brother...I mean, he totally had me under his spell. If it weren’t for you, I would have worshiped his every word. Your father never laid a finger on me and my mom. I remember now that it was Jongin who beat my dad and it was Jongin who pulled the trigger. I don’t hold anything against your dad. I promise. But that’s not all that’s bothering you, is it?”

Chanyeol takes a deep sigh. “I’m not the same kid from his memories. I’m scared he might not like how his son turned out.” At hearing Chanyeol’s confession, Baekhyun bolts up and cups Chanyeol’s face with his long, delicate fingers. Even though most of the scars have remained, his fingers are still as gorgeous as Chanyeol ever thought they were.  
“What on earth ever gave you that idea?” He asks with eyes wide and head cocked to the side in confusion.  
“I...I don’t know.” Chanyeol answers, not quite understanding Baekhyun’s reaction. “It’s just a thought I’ve always had.”  
“And you never mentioned this to me because…?”  
“Because I always thought it was ridiculous. And I didn’t want to worry you.” He answers.  
“Chanyeol, we are married. We share everything together. This includes thoughts and worries. The great thing about being in a relationship is that you don’t have to carry the world on your shoulders alone. We can share the load, Yeollie. So don’t keep things like this to yourself, bottled up until it starts nibbling away at your sanity. I’m your husband. Confide in me, okay?” 

Chanyeol smiles, looking at his husband. “You’re right.” He says and feels an overwhelming surge of pride in his heart. “I’m so proud of you, Baekhyunnie. After everything, you still decided to love and give life a second chance.”  
There’s not much Baekhyun can respond with, he feels, so he settles for nesting his head on Chanyeol’s chest, giving the man small soft kisses here and there.  
They fall asleep, limbs tangled together. Even though the heat is unbearable, they cannot stand to part from each other. They rest with smiles adorning their faces and minds at peace. 

 

 

 

The day of his father’s release comes quicker than expected, and Chanyeol finds himself fiddling with the hem of his shirt, standing outside the prison gates waiting. He paces back and forth, takes deep breaths and glances over every so often, expectant and nervous to see his old man. Finally, a familiar figure walks out the prison doors, squinting at the sun and stepping towards the gates. And when he’s out, standing in front of his son who is a whole head taller than him, he smiles and stretches out his arms, engulfing his son in a strong, fatherly hug. 

A few tears prickle at Chanyeol’s eyes. His father’s hug feels exactly the same as he remembers it. But there are loads of other differences. His father’s beautiful tanned skin has given way to a paler complexion. Wrinkles mark every stretch of his face, making him look older beyond his years. And he is stick-thin, bones jutting out where muscle and fat should be. 

“It’s great to see you, Son. Thanks for picking me up.” The old man greets.  
“It’s no problem, Dad. I wanted to see you. So...how do you feel?”  
“Well, it hasn’t really hit me yet. Maybe when I settle into my own place, start walking the streets and doing things my way, I’ll realize that I’m finally free.” 

Chanyeol leads his father to his car and helps him in. It’s only once they are on the highway does the conversation start up again. 

“When I heard you’re picking me up, I thought your husband would be with you too? I've been wanting to meet him.” His father says. At the mention of his husband, Chanyeol immediately tenses up, his hands gripping tight on the steering wheel.  
“Dad, there’s something I need to tell you.” He begins by speaking slowly and calmly. The last thing he wants is for his dad to freak out and try bolt out the car driving at 75 miles an hour.  
“I’m listening.” The old man responds.  
Taking a huge breath, Chanyeol confesses. “My husband is Byun Baekhyun.” This is all he says. 

His father is silent beside him, face devoid of any emotion. After a few minutes, the information finally settles in and the man starts shaking his head. “No, it...it c-can’t be.” He stutters, voice strained as he tries to wrap his head around the idea. “The...the kid whose parents I...Oh lord! Does he know?”  
“Of course he knows, Dad. He knew before we got married. It's kinda how we met.” Chanyeol responds, his eyes glancing over to his father, worrying about what the man might try to do next. “Look, Dad. Baekhyun’s forgiven you. He understands why you did it. You were only trying to protect me and Mom, right?” The old man nods. “He knows that. And he doesn’t blame you. He blames that son of a bitch Kim Jongin, may his soul rest in eternal damnation.” Chanyeol mutters and gently turns the car onto the next off ramp.  
“Baekhyun wants to meet you. He wants to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. He wants us to be a family.” 

Beside him, his father is still shaking his head. “But that’s impossible.” He denies any possibility of a family with Baekhyun. “What I did to that poor little boy, I could never forgive myself, let alone expect him to forgive me.”  
Letting out a sigh, Chanyeol tries to convince his father. “That little boy has been through hell. But he’s a strong little shit and trust me when I say, he means it when he says he forgives you. It wasn’t easy for him to do so. And he still misses his parents a hell of a lot. But, “ He slows the car down and stops next to a small cafe. “He’s grown up and learnt to put the past behind him so that he can finally move on with his life; so that we call can.” 

“Why are you with this man, Chanyeol? Your connection to me will never end. You’ll always be my son and I will always be your father; the father who stood by and watched as that little boy’s parents were murdered in cold blood. Do you realize the problems this can cause you two? The arguments, the fighting, the pain; it’s unfair to both of you.” The old man speaks, his head hanging low in shame and his eyes refusing to meet his son’s. They’re still seated inside the car. 

“Dad, I love him. I can’t live without him. It’s taken us a long time to accept our relationship and our familial ties, but we’ve moved passed it. You can, too.” Chanyeol coaxes. He takes the old man’s hand in his and gently rubs his thumb across the leathery skin. 

“Are you sure he wants to meet me?” The old man asks uncertain, and Chanyeol simply smiles a yes.  
“Why don’t you see for yourself.” He says and nods his head in the direction of the cafe’s entrance.  
Standing there waiting is Baekhyun in the flesh. He’s dressed up neat, hair combed back and standing confidently. But worry is etched onto his face as he waits impatiently for the two to step out the car.  
“Can I tell you a secret?” Chanyeol whispers, even though no else can hear them. “He’s scared you might not like him.” He says and his father’s eyes widen in shock.  
“T-that’s ridiculous!” The older exclaims. He shyly looks over to Baekhyun and their eyes meet. When Baekhyun gives him one of his angelic smiles, the older feels warmth spreading through his heart. 

Perhaps I really am free now. He thinks. They get out the car and step towards the cafe.

 

FIN.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this story. I truly hope you enjoyed it. You're welcomed to leave me a little message if you want ❤


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